Hey Seattle: Let’s prioritize safety over speed

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"If we can slow down, we can save a life."

Those were the words Seattle Mayor Ed Murray used to introduce Seattle’s Vision Zero initiative last year, a campaign which aims to end all traffic-related deaths by 2030. This Monday, Sept. 26, city council will vote to prioritize saving lives over speed by lowering speed limits from 25 to 20 miles per hour on neighborhood streets and 30 to 25 miles per hour on downtown arterials. 

If you agree this commonsense proposal will make streets safer, contact city council to voice your support now. 

On average, 20 people die in Seattle traffic collisions each year and 150 are seriously injured. And though people hit walking and biking make up less than 10 percent of crashes, they represent nearly half of the fatalities. 

Image courtesy of Seattle Department of Transportatation.

Speed is a serious factor in many collisions, and this is commonsense measure will help reduce the number of injuries and fatalities. Slowing down speeds allows more time for people driving and people walking and biking to see one another; decreases stopping distances; prevents serious injuries and fatalities when there is a collision; and overall creates quieter, more inviting streets for people of all ages.

Lowering designated speed limits also allows planners and engineers more freedom to include traffic-calming elements in their designs. The Rainier Avenue Safety Corridor Project lowered speeds in Columbia City from 30 to 25 mph, and reduced traffic lanes from four to three, including a turn lane. A year after implementation, crashes involving people who walk and bike are down more than 40 percent, and bus and car travel times have been maintained. 

We are one city council vote away from safer streets. Let the city know your support for quieter, calmer and safer streets.

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