Related: Vehicle Fatality Data Causes Concern
Safety Groups Seek End to Roadway Fatalities
A coalition of safety groups has released an ambitious plan to eliminate roadway deaths by 2050 in response to rising fatalities in recent years that have reversed the progress of earlier decades.

Photo via Minesweeper/Wikimedia.
A coalition of safety groups has released an ambitious plan to eliminate roadway deaths by 2050 in response to rising fatalities in recent years that have reversed the progress of earlier decades.
About 5,000 more people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2016 as compared with 2011, according to the National Safety Council.
The report — A Road to Zero: A Vision for Achieving Zero Roadway Deaths by 2050 — spotlights three key initiatives to reduce fatalities. It was released on April 19 by the Road to Zero Coalition. It was authored by the Rand Corporation, a nonpartisan research institution.
The three-prong strategy calls for being more tenacious with tactics that work through proven, evidenced-based strategies; advancing life-saving technologies in vehicles and infrastructure; and, prioritizing safety by adopting a safe systems approach and creating a positive safety culture.
The report is the result of the collaboration of some 650 organizations and the council, which manages the coalition.
In 2010, it was estimated that crashes cost the U.S economy roughly $835 billion, and there were 15,000 crashes per day, notes the report. Moreover, in 2016, nearly 38,000 lives were lost on U.S. roadways, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Tactics for turning the tide as noted in the report, include enforcing and strengthening current traffic safety laws, providing new resources for traffic safety researchers and practitioners, and supporting those who design and build roads and vehicles.
In addition, progress will require continued vehicle safety improvements, specifically using technology. While widespread use of fully automated vehicles is still decades away, the coalition proposes accelerating the benefits of new technologies by creating partnerships between public safety and health groups and industry professionals.
Finally, fostering a safety culture and adopting a safe systems approach is imperative. Many businesses have made great improvements in fatality and injury rates through adopting a safety culture, and a number of cities have adopted a Vision Zero strategy incorporating the safe systems approach that accommodates human error. These ideas need to be shared and spread across the nation, according to the coalition.
Read the full report here.
More Safety

Tips for Driving Safely on Halloween Night
This video features a reminder from the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, urging drivers to prioritize safety this Halloween.
Read More →
IIHS Crash Avoidance Tests Reveal Safety Gaps in Cargo Vans and Work Trucks
New IIHS crash avoidance ratings show uneven performance among cargo vans and heavy-duty pickups, with most struggling to avoid vehicle-to-vehicle collisions.
Read More →
What’s Next for Fleet? Safety, AI & Industry Recognition | AF News Recap
Could your company's culture be encouraging distracted driving? This week, we're exploring how workplace expectations affect driver safety, what AI, EVs, and autonomous vehicles could mean for the future of fleet management, and how fleet professionals can strengthen their award nominations.
Read More →
Does Your Fleet's Culture Encourage Distracted Driving?
What happens when the people responsible for enforcing safety rules are the ones setting the wrong example? The answer may reveal why some of the biggest risks to fleet drivers have little to do with what's written in the employee handbook.
Read More →
Fleet Manager’s Ultimate Playbook: Navigating the New Standard in OEM Connectivity
Rising operating costs, driver safety concerns, and unplanned downtime are putting unprecedented pressure on modern fleets. Discover how fleet managers use embedded OEM connectivity and real-time vehicle data to cut TCO, prevent downtime, and protect drivers without aftermarket telematics hardware.
Read More →
From Driver Well-Being to EV Charging | AF News Recap
Mental health belongs in the fleet safety conversation. This week, we’re looking at five ways fleets can support employee well-being before a crisis, plus Holman’s expansion in Mexico, new one-day Fleet Forward passes, and why EV charging demand is outpacing infrastructure growth.
Read More →
Nexar-Nauto Merger Aims to Give Fleets Better Safety Intelligence Through Larger Driving Dataset
Stefan Heck tells Automotive Fleet that combining more than 10 billion miles of driving history with Nexar's AI models will give fleets deeper insights into driver risk and roadway conditions than either company could provide independently.
Read More →
Don't Wait for a Crisis: 5 Ways to Build Mental Health Into Your Fleet Safety Program
For Suicide Prevention Month, fleet and safety leaders have an opportunity to put mental health where it belongs: at the center of workplace safety.
Read More →
How Camera Data Can Strengthen a Fleet’s Insurance Renewal
Insights from a commercial insurance carrier and a broker show how fleets can turn video telematic data, driver coaching, and improved claims results into a stronger case at insurance renewal.
Read More →
The Safest Fleets Aren’t the Ones with the Most Technology
You’ve made the telematics investment. Here’s how to capture the other half of its value and build the safest fleet on the road.
Read More →