A Decade of Vision Zero
After a decade of Vision Zero, we know what works. We just need our leaders to have the same courage as FSS member Lizi Rahman who led the fight to turn the Boulevard of Death into a boulevard of life. Few of our leaders are truly committed to Vision Zero, which is why we still have so far to go. Check out the story on All Things Considered.
Governor hochul recommits to sammy’s law
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced yesterday that she will be including Sammy’s Law in her Executive budget. The bill, named after the son of FSS Co-Founder Amy Cohen, will give New York City control over its speed limits. The bill came very close to passage last year but the Assembly failed to even bring the bill for a vote, even after Amy and other members staged a hunger strike.
Join us for our first trip to Albany on January 23rd and as we press hard for the bill’s passage this year.
Better Road design could have saved matt keenan
After her husband Matt Keenan was killed by a reckless driver in 2021, Laura Keenan founded the San Diego chapter of Families for Safe Streets and has become a leading voice for better road design in her community. Laura and her young son Evan show the power of FSS testimonials to call attention to crucial yet often overlooked road safety policy. Laura recently shared Matt’s story with NPR to underscore the importance of a critical but overlooked road safety resource — the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
Sammy’s Law re-launched!
Dozens of elected officials and supporting organizations joined on Friday outside of Speaker Heastie’s NYC office to demand that the New York State Legislature pass Sammy’s Law in the rapidly approaching legislative session. Participants included Comptroller Lander, NYC DOT, State Senator Hoylman-Sigal, Assemblymembers Rosenthal, Simon, Glick, Borres, Carroll, Transportation Alternatives, DC 37 Local372, AARP-NY, Good Shepherd Services, the New York Board of Rabbis, Riseboro, Consumer Reports, Kids and Car Safety, .05 Saves Lives Coalition, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Open Plans, and more. Sammy’s Law would empower New York City to set its own speed limits.
Check out the Streetsblog article.
FSS Member gina lablanc successfully advocates to fix San Jose street where her son was killed in a crash
Families for Safe Streets member Gina LaBlanc returned to her son Kyle’s crash site for the first time since he lost his life there at the hands of a speeding tow truck driver in 2016. Joining Mayor Matt Mahan and city officials, Gina welcomed a $12.9M federal infrastructure grant to improve some of the city’s deadliest intersections, including Canoas Garden and Curtner Avenue, where Kyle and too many others in San Jose have been killed over the years. The money will help to build a protected intersection separating bikes from traffic, a new sidewalk to fill the section that is missing, and traffic signal improvements. Gina’s relentless advocacy in a community where over 60 people were killed by drivers in 2022 is a guiding light.
speed limiters for reckless drivers
Momentum is growing for the use of intelligent speed assistance to address the speeding crisis on our roadways. FSS member Tiffany May shares her story for the first time about her survival of a six-vehicle crash in Nevada that killed nine people in January of last year. Seven were members of a single family who were riding together in a minivan, including four brothers younger than 18.
Check out the NPR story.
Restorative justice: FSS seeks Justice in a New Way: Talking to the Drivers
Check out the articles in the New York Times and Jewish Currents about Circles for Safe Streets, which encourages New York drivers who hit people to take responsibility. Those who were injured can speak directly to those at fault.
Calls for Action Heighten on World Day of Remembrance
From Portland to Pittsburgh, Louisville to Las Vegas, and Madison to New York City, a record-number of people joined forces to call for an end to the tragic and preventable roadway safety crisis across the nation.
On this World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDoR), more than 75 communities organized rallies, memorial walks and bike rides, candle lighting vigils, installations of shoes and life-size cut-outs to represent those killed in preventable traffic deaths. Organizers include crash survivors, people who have lost loved ones in crashes, elected leaders, public agency staff, community advocates and others.
FSS Co-Founder Amy Cohen Joins USDOT Secretary Pete BUTTiGIEG For Fireside Chat
We all have a story of how traffic violence impacted us. Whether you’ve been in a crash yourself, known someone whose life was changed by one, or lost a loved one on our roadways, the ongoing epidemic of traffic violence has left no one unaffected.