Work

Examining a Lost Decade for Traffic Safety in Large US Cities

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: US traffic deaths increased during the 2010s, making it a global outlier. Comparing 2008-2012 with 2018-2022, traffic fatality rates increased most in the largest 100 US cities. Among these large cities, disparities between the safest and most dangerous cities increased over time. Low-income neighborhoods, pedestrians and bicyclists, 6:00-11:59 pm, and arterial and collector roadways were overrepresented factors in large city fatality rate increases. Cities that established Vision Zero policies had better safety outcomes than those without, but their fatality rates were not significantly lower when controlling for the advantages of higher density and higher income.

Source: Findings

DOI: 10.32866/001c.155976

Authors: Robert Schneider, Henry Barbee, Kyle Nelson, Xiaohan Gu

Institutions: University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Pennsylvania State University

Language: English

Topic: Traffic and Road Safety

Subfield: Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Reduced inequalities, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $100