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1/10. With the current focus on measures that help ensure safe travel during the #Covid19 pandemic, we’re revisiting the 2019 Todd Litman report, which concluded that all motor traffic poses a danger to people. #VisionZero #RoadDanger https://actionvisionzero.org/2020/02/04/its-not-just-speed-that-kills-new-research-recognises-the-danger-of-all-traffic-on-our-streets/
2/10. It follows that rather than just tackling dangerous driving, traffic itself must be reduced. The principle of reducing #RoadDanger at source is quoted in many #VisionZero plans, yet it rarely translates into policies for traffic reduction.
3/10. Both London and New York’s #VisionZero plans touch on but do not focus on #TrafficReduction policies. Why? Because there has been far less evidence out there on the significance of traffic as a whole. Which is where Todd Litman's report comes in. https://www.vtpi.org/ntsp.pdf
4/10. The report analysed data & research to reveal that exposure, in terms of total vehicle travel, is a risk factor to those both inside & outside a vehicle. Put simply, the more vehicles there are on the roads, the higher the chance of a crash or collision. #RoadSafety
5/10. He concludes that “each 1% reduction in total vehicle travel should reduce total casualties between 1.0% and 1.7% (i.e. a policy that reduces total vehicle travel by 10% is likely to reduce injuries and deaths by 10-17%)”. #TrafficReduction #VisionZero
6/10. These figures are based mainly on US examples, but the principle also applies in the UK. 2015 research by Lancaster University found that following the introduction of #London’s congestion charge in 2003, vehicle travel declined 14% & traffic casualty rates declined by 25%.
7/10. In the UK the numbers of people killed or seriously injured on our roads have remained largely unchanged since 2010 as traffic miles have continued to rise. Those #Walking and #Cycling have been particularly at risk. #RoadDanger #VisionZero
8/10. Litman concludes that #RoadSafety initiatives should recognise the risk of all vehicle travel, and use traffic reduction policies to create safer roads for all. #VisionZero
9/10. So what are these #TrafficReduction policies? Road user charging disincentives motor vehicle travel. Land use planning changes enable sustainable travel options. Public transport investment creates viable alternatives everywhere. Modal shift (using LTNs). #VisionZero
10/10. By including #TrafficReduction as a tool, #VisionZero can broaden its reach to tackle issues like traffic congestion, inactivity, #AirPollution & the #ClimateEmergency. W/ traffic reduction in its armoury, Vision Zero no longer operates on its own. https://actionvisionzero.org/2020/02/04/its-not-just-speed-that-kills-new-research-recognises-the-danger-of-all-traffic-on-our-streets/
