Auto accidents, injuries that accompany them and fatalities have long been a problem in Oklahoma City just as it has been an issue in large cities across the United States. Other states, however, have taken steps to address it with safety programs designed to reduce the number of crashes through the Vision Zero program.
Vision Zero is a series of comprehensive steps meant to improve safety through education and infrastructure. Oklahoma City is in the top 20 for largest cities in the nation but was one of two cities in that group that never implemented Vision Zero.
That, however, is about to change. As city planners complete a draft of their Vision Zero template, it is important for people who use the roads in any capacity to understand what it means and why this is happening. Whether it is a driver, a person who uses public transportation, a road worker, a bicyclist, a motorcyclist or pedestrian, the number of accidents remains a concern even with this positive step for safety.
When accidents do happen, people must be cognizant of how they can be impacted personally, financially, physically and emotionally. There are options to make a full recovery and it is essential to be aware of them.
How planners hope Vision Zero will help Oklahoma City road safety
Statistically, road fatalities have been on the rise in Oklahoma City for five years. In that time, they increased by around one-third from what they were. Most fatalities were found to have been due to poorly lit roads where vehicles travel at high speeds. Vision Zero’s goal is to reduce the number of accidents to zero, hence the name.
While the goal is ambitious and admittedly unlikely to be achieved, there has been success in other urban areas with its implementation. To formulate the plan, city planners listened to residents and took comments in various ways from workshops, surveys and online discussions.
They looked at the Oklahoma City streets and roads that had the most accidents with injuries and fatalities. There were common denominators with these areas including lower-income areas, people who have disabilities and those confronted with other daily challenges. A significant number of fatalities involved pedestrians.
Safety enhancements include making sure vehicles are as safe as they can be, ensuring drivers adhere to the speed limits, having roads designed to lower the chance of a crash, and making sure people who are involved in an accident get the proper level of care. The simple act of adding sidewalks to roads that do not have them and installing bike lanes can go a long way in helping people remain safe when they venture out.
Hopefully, when Vision Zero goes into effect in Oklahoma City, the safety strategies will yield similarly positive results as they have in other large cities that have moved forward with the project. Until it starts, the dangers are inherent and the statistics show how people remain at risk.
When there is an auto accident, people need to think about how they will recover in every way. This is true for the injured person and the family who needs to deal with the aftermath. Whether it is dealing with insurance companies, gathering evidence, filing claims and determining strategy, it is essential to have professional advice with taking the next steps.