Authorizing the development and implementation of a Real-Time Safety Awareness Signage Initiative to publicly display crash data in alignment with the City's Vision Zero goals and to promote street safety awareness and behavioral change.

WHEREAS, In 2023, 123 people lost their lives in traffic collisions in Philadelphia, and as of August 31, 2024, an additional 73 fatalities have occurred on the City’s streets; and

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia reaffirmed its Vision Zero commitment through Executive Order 4-24, re-establishing the Vision Zero Task Force and establishing the Office of Multimodal Planning to implement street design and policy interventions that prioritize safety for all road users; and

WHEREAS, Vision Zero seeks to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by using data-informed strategies to identify high-risk corridors and to implement proven safety measures, including physical infrastructure changes and public education; and

WHEREAS, Public signage displaying real-time or regularly updated data on traffic injuries can increase public awareness, serve as a powerful visual reminder of the consequences of unsafe driving, and reinforce the City’s commitment to safety and transparency; and

WHEREAS, Similar signage programs in other cities have shown promise in changing driver behavior and encouraging greater civic engagement around traffic safety issues; and

WHEREAS, Such an initiative would complement Philadelphia’s High Injury Network and existing data collection efforts by providing community members with timely, accessible information on the state of traffic safety in their neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, Pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users-particularly in working-class neighborhoods and communities of color-face disproportionately high risks from traffic violence, and would benefit greatly from expanded public education and visibility around these issues; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the City is authorized to develop and implement a Real-Time Safety Awareness Signage Initiative to publicly display traffic crash data as a tool to support the goals of Vision Zero, promote behavioral change, and advance public safety on Philadelphia’s streets.

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