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uptown_gargoyle t1_j06q9a2 wrote

I think it'd be helpful to gather some data. If we can quantify how bad it is here (and I agree it's bad) by measuring things like accidents per capita per day, traffic fatalities, etc., then we can set goals and evaluate our progress. Politicians (or whomever) could also travel to similar cities that have fewer accidents (or whatever the metrics are) and learn about what makes those cities' driving culture different from ours, and then try to apply those strategies here.

I'm aware of the existence of Vision Zero but I don't know anything really about them.

I also think a significant part of this is the cops' apparent refusal to enforce traffic laws. I don't really know what the answer to that is.

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ColdJay64 t1_j06sa1a wrote

The issue is, by these metrics we aren't that bad: https://www.usinsuranceagents.com/deadliest-cities-for-drivers/. "You might think that the deadliest U.S. cities are our country’s biggest cities — places such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, and Philadelphia. But in reality, the deadliest cities for U.S. drivers range across a slew of mid-sized metros."

This data is a couple years old, but I doubt we went from #68 in deadliest cities to drive (factoring in thefts, chance of crash, and traffic deaths) to like #1. I see what everyone else is seeing on the roads today - but it's a known fact that driving habits changed nationwide during COVID. None of this makes it any better, but I could easily see our politicians latching on to this as a reason to do nothing. They certainly aren't going to go out of their way to see what other cities are doing.

I fully agree with your last point, a big part of this is police refusing to enforce traffic laws. Despite having the driver's equity bill as an "excuse", there is NOTHING preventing them from enforcing moving violations. We should just do what DC did and put speed/redlight cameras absolutely everywhere.

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