Administration Commits to Proven Best Practices in USDOT’s National Roadway Safety Strategy

NACTO applauds USDOT for its bold goal of zero deaths on America’s roads, and for committing to reorienting the department around a proven safe systems approach to safety. 

These promising commitments include:

• Acknowledging the outsized role that street design plays on America’s uniquely deadly roadways and committing to reforming the MUTCD, an obscure federal regulation and major obstacle to safer roads
• Rating new vehicles on their safety for not just people inside of them but for everyone that uses our streets, including people walking and biking
• Committing to new speed limit setting guidance, in recognition that unsafe speed limits (set using federal guidance) have meant more deaths on U.S. roadways
• Incorporating complete streets criteria into federal grant opportunities, and committing to evaluating all federal grants based on safety

“This Administration knows first-hand the physical, economic, and emotional impact of traffic violence on Americans. While many of the specifics of these commitments will be forthcoming, this safety strategy shows that safety at USDOT is not just a buzzword, but a true commitment to stemming this crisis through redesigned streets, safer speed limits, and better vehicle design,” said Janette Sadik-Khan, NACTO Chair. 

“USDOT’s National Roadway Safety Strategy is both a recognition of the severity of the United States’ traffic safety crisis and a commitment to taking long-overdue steps to stem the extraordinary number of people killed on our nation’s roadways. America’s cities stand ready to work with USDOT to achieve the critical–and only acceptable–goal of zero fatalities on our roadways,” said Corinne Kisner, NACTO Executive Director. 

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About the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)
NACTO is an association of 92 major North American cities and transit agencies formed to exchange transportation ideas, insights, and practices and cooperatively approach national transportation issues. The organization’s mission is to build cities as places for people, with safe, sustainable, accessible, and equitable transportation choices that support a strong economy and vibrant quality of life. To learn more, visit nacto.org or follow us on Twitter at @NACTO.

Contact
Alex Engel | [email protected]

For Immediate Release
January 27, 2022