New efforts bring data and action to Rochester's traffic safety problem
Parents have told Healthi Kids that speeding cars make them think twice about letting their children play outside. When drivers travel too fast through a neighborhood, the effects go beyond the possibility of a crash. Speeding can limit where children play, whether families walk or bike, and how connected people feel to their community.
A new traffic safety dashboard from the City of Rochester helps show the magnitude of the problem while giving residents a new tool to advocate for safer streets.
Turning community experiences into data
"The ROC Vision Zero Dashboard allows residents to see where crashes are happening, what types of crashes are occurring, and how many result in injuries," said Jesse North, PlayROCs project coordinator for the Healthi Kids initiative. "Users can explore dangerous intersections and identify patterns affecting people whether they are driving, walking, or biking."
For residents advocating for safety improvements in their neighborhoods, the dashboard can help support what they see and experience with data. A family may already know that drivers regularly speed through a nearby intersection, or that crossing a particular street feels unsafe. "The dashboard can help them better understand the broader traffic safety conditions in that area and strengthen the case for change," continued Knoth, who is also President of the 19th Ward Neighborhood Community Association.
But every point on the map represents more than a statistic. It represents a person whose life was affected and a neighborhood where children and families may not feel safe walking, biking, or playing.
That is why Healthi Kids continues to remind drivers that slowing down by just 5 mph can save lives.
"A few miles per hour won't change how long your trip takes, but slower speeds give drivers more time to see people, react, and avoid a crash," said Knoth. "If a crash does happen, lower speeds reduce the likelihood of a serious injury."
Drive 2B Better returns
Along with the launch of the dashboard, the Drive 2B Better campaign has returned with new social media videos and updated yard signs. The campaign encourages drivers to make simple changes that can help protect everyone who uses the road, including slowing down, looking out for other road users, and leaving enough space between people and vehicles.
"It's these small, everyday choices that can help create neighborhoods where parents feel more comfortable letting their kiddos play outside," said Knoth. Those actions can also go a long way in helping families walk, bike, and move through their communities safely.
Want to help spread the message? Email PlayROCs@healthikids.org to schedule a time to pick up a yard sign from the Healthi Kids office.
Monroe County launches Vision Zero Task Force
Traffic safety work is also expanding across Monroe County, which, in October, launched a Vision Zero Task Force with the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities.
“Safe streets are critical for building healthy communities,” said Chief Program and Operations Officer Dina Faticone, who serves on the County’s new task force. “Traffic safety is connected to so many parts of our work, from helping children play outside and families move safely through their neighborhoods, to ensuring residents have a voice in the decisions that shape their communities.”
The dashboard, the Drive 2B Better campaign, and the new task force represent important steps forward. Data can help us see the full scale of the problem, but creating safer streets will require all of us. Drivers slowing down, residents advocating for improvements, and community organizations and local governments working together to design streets that protect everyone.