March 10, 2020 |
The Barnes Firm |
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San Jose, centered in Silicon Valley, is working to makes its streets safer for drivers and bicyclists. In 2019, traffic-related deaths, including pedestrians and cyclists, reached an all-time high in San Jose, prompting city lawmakers to approve the Vision Zero Plan. The plan, with a price tag of nearly $7 million, hopes to eradicate traffic deaths through multiple pedestrian/cyclist-friendly initiatives. Vision Zero includes plans for increased safety on streets and bikeways on major thoroughfares, as well as an increase in traffic enforcement team members. An awareness campaign in high traffic collision areas will be coupled with cloud-connected radar speed signs to collect real-time data to assess and implement necessary changes.
By the Numbers
According to the city, 60 individuals were killed in traffic accidents in 2019, an increase of eight over the previous year. Of that number, pedestrians accounted for half the deaths, followed by 32 percent of vehicle passengers, and 12 percent being cyclists. Senior adults were most often the victims. In a world, where one life lost is one too many, the city hopes to change those statistics and safe lives with Vision Zero.
Speed is often a factor in these fatalities, as 90 percent of pedestrians struck by vehicles traveling at 40 mph are likely to die. The number decreases to 10 percent when vehicles are traveling at 20 mph. Additional factors include running red lights, failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, unsafe turning, intoxicated drivers, tired drivers, and distracted drivers. The city has already taken measures including increased DUI checkpoints, a citywide crackdown on street racing, and more.
The goal of Vision Zero is to save lives and the city is fully committing its resources to do so. Vision Zero will be integrated into the My San Jose app, allowing residents to get involved by reporting unsafe street conditions. The city will also partner with other private apps, like Waze, to alert drivers of unsafe streets. The city will also continue to collect new data, elicit information from existing data, and make focused changes for the safety of all who visit the region or call San Jose home.
Take Positive Action if You Have Been Injured
If you have been injured in a vehicle accident, as a pedestrian, a bicyclist, a driver, or a passenger, it is important that you know your rights. In many instances, drivers at fault in an accident, simply don’t know cyclists have the right to share the road or pedestrians nearly always have the right of way. In other cases, drivers were simply not paying close enough attention to see a cyclist or notice a pedestrian. When drivers aren’t obeying the law or are driving distracted, others are injured. If you or a loved one have been injured in a vehicle accident, call on the expert accident lawyers at the Barnes Firm to ensure your rights are protected and you get the compensation needed to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. Call us or contact us for a free case evaluation, we can help!
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Bicyclists , Drivers , Hollywood Universal Studios , San Jose
