Too many people die or have their lives significantly altered from preventable roadway crashes. In the Greater Philadelphia region, the problem has worsened in recent years: In 2016, one person was killed or seriously injured every 5.5 hours in our region, and by 2024, it happened every 3.7 hours. Regional traffic violence is a component of the larger problem that persistently claims the lives of almost 40,000 Americans and approximately 1.2 million people globally each year.
Since 1997 and the birth of Sweden’s Vision Zero philosophy, many countries have adopted their own Vision Zero goals and related policies, which recognize that no deaths on our transportation system are acceptable. DVRPC has set a regional goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries due to crashes by the year 2050. Regional Vision Zero is our road map to safer travel for all roadway users on all roads.
Regional High Injury Network
The Regional High Injury Network (RHIN) is the result of a data-driven process designed to show where killed and severe injury (KSI) crashes occurred, and where bicyclists and pedestrian crashes occurred.
The Safe System Approach
The Regional Vision Zero (RVZ) effort is a unifying framework within which to work on complementary safety projects that embody the Safe System Approach (SSA) and to promote the SSA principles to advance regional safety culture. SSA has been adopted by the U.S. Department of Transportation as the guiding paradigm to address roadway safety. While the traditional approach to road safety focuses on correcting human behaviors and preventing all crashes, SSA is holistic and works to build multiple layers of protection both to prevent crashes from happening and to minimize injuries when crashes do occur.
Safe Streets and Roads for All
The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) competitive grant program was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and provides $5 billion in funding over five years to support regional, local, and tribal safety initiatives. These initiatives include the development of safety action plans and demonstration projects, as well as the implementation of roadway safety improvements identified through qualifying plans.
DVRPC SS4A Awards
FHWA awarded DVRPC three unique SS4A awards. The 2022 award included counties as subrecipients to support setting up a Regional Vision Zero Program and developing a regionwide safety action plan. FHWA awarded Upper Darby Township as a subrecipient of the DVRPC plan as well, though with their own unique scope. With the 2024 award, DVRPC intends to apply RVZ data, analysis, and tools to different geographies–looking at municipal and corridor level outputs. DVRPC will also use this second award to define next steps for engaging meaningfully with a broader public audience. DVRPC will use the 2025 award to pilot working on roadway safety with new planning partners (e.g. school districts and specific schools).
DVRPC collaborated with regional partners throughout the application process to encourage coordination via the Regional Vision Zero effort, promote resource sharing, and support competitive proposals, including providing letters of support. Safety planning and implementation at every level, from municipal to regional, are critical to advancing the Regional Vision Zero goal of eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 2050. DVRPC developing a regional vision zero safety action plan increased the eligibility of the counties and communities in the region to pursue planning and demonstration grants.
DVRPC Partner SS4A Awards
DVRPC staff regularly engage with constituents and encourage project ideation through implementation, often supporting funding. Through the RVZ planning process, DVRPC planners encouraged counties and municipalities to prioritize safety and apply for SS4A grants. DVRPC staff co-hosted workshops to help attendees connect to DVRPC tools such as the RHIN. DVRPC also wrote letters of support identifying areas of regional coordination. FHWA awarded DVRPC and geographies in the DVRPC region over $65 million through the SS4A grant program from 2022-2025. The awards enabled more than 82 million dollars of safety-oriented projects in the region. Philadelphia had an established vision zero safety action plan when the SS4A grant program started, which meant they were eligible for implementation grants throughout the application years.
Tools & Resources for Advancing Safety
- Safety web page: The homepage for DVRPC’s safety efforts, including links to key programs and recent publications.
- Transportation Safety Analysis and Plan: The guiding document for transportation safety in the region and analysis of the greatest contributing factors in severe traffic crashes.
- Regional Safety Task Force: Established in September 2005 to bring together a multidisciplinary group of professionals to identify safety goals, strategies, and resources to reduce crashes and eliminate serious injuries and fatalities on roadways in the Greater Philadelphia region.
- Crash Data Viewer: A web map of crashes in the DVRPC region with embedded analysis tools and summary statistics.
- DVRPC Data Center: A catalog of downloadable datasets and DVRPC’s existing maps and applications.
- LINK - A web-based tool that helps you understand the potential impact of building bicycle or pedestrian facilities.
How Can I Help Improve Transportation Safety?
There are many ways to get involved with transportation safety, including joining us at our next Regional Safety Task Force meeting, using our Traffic Safety Media Toolkit, using the word “crash” instead of “accident," or signing up for DVRPC’s Regional Vision Zero updates.
Sign up for Regional Vision Zero emails