Published November 27 2024
Community members encouraged to take action by signing new Vision Zero pledge
For a second year, the Bellevue City Council proclaimed Sunday, Nov. 17 as World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. The day honors people who have been killed or impacted by traffic collisions. In the proclamation issued Nov. 19, the council affirmed its support for Bellevue’s Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths and serious-injury collisions on Bellevue streets by 2030.
Since the council launched Vision Zero in 2015, the city has taken many steps to make Bellevue streets safer. Recent changes include:
- Upgrading crosswalks with leading pedestrian intervals to give people walking a head start and more time to cross streets safely
- Completing school zone road safety assessments in several neighborhoods and making improvements based on the results
- Passing an ordinance that lowers the speed limit on local streets in neighborhoods to 20 mph
Despite those measures, over the past 10 years, someone has been killed or seriously injured every 15 days on Bellevue streets. More than 70% of all fatal and serious injury crashes on Bellevue streets involved at least one of five driving behaviors: driver failing to yield to a non-motorist; inattention or distracted driving; not granting right-of-way to a vehicle; impairment by alcohol or drugs; and speeding.
Community members can join the effort to reach zero fatal and serious-injury collisions by signing Bellevue’s new Vision Zero pledge, a commitment to drive safely and avoid these high-risk driving behaviors.