Bay Area Vision Zero Program Overview

A man and his young child wait on their bicycles at a crosswalk.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is working to reduce deaths and injuries from traffic collisions by supporting Bay Area Vision Zero initiatives.

The number of people killed in traffic accidents is on the rise. “Vision Zero” is a nationwide movement to reduce traffic injuries to zero.

MTC is working to make the streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and others by:

  • Establishing the MTC Regional Safety/Vision Zero Policy
  • Developing a regionwide Safety Data Repository and Safety Analysis Tool
  • Leading the Bay Area Vision Zero Working Group

A regional approach can promote improved safety and eliminate some duplication of costs among cities and counties, allowing local governments to redirect their limited dollars toward implementing new safety projects and policies. 

MTC Regional Safety/Vision Zero Policy

The MTC Regional Safety/Vision Zero Policy establishes a strategy for working with partner agencies to support equitable and data-driven action towards eliminating traffic deaths and serious vehicular injuries in the Bay Area by 2030. 

MTC Regional Safety/Vision Zero Policy: Download and read the complete policy to learn more about goals and priorities.

Incentives for Improvement

An important piece of MTC’s Vision Zero policy is the use of incentive programs to encourage the adoption of Vision Zero plans and safety best practices. For example, cities and counties with a Vision Zero Plan may designate Connected Community Priority Development Areas, which gives them access to additional funding opportunities.

Regional Safety Data System

MTC’s Regional Safety Policy will be data-driven, so that funds and resources are used most efficiently. To support this, MTC will serve as the region’s single, integrated safety data bank. This consistent and reliable source of safety data will be used for traffic safety analysis, evaluation and applying for safety funding.

Ready by spring 2022. This flexible system will integrate information about:

  • Crashes
  • Infrastructure
  • Equity 
  • Demographics
  • Additional data that becomes available over time

This integration will support safety analyses that cities can use for their unique priorities and challenges. The system will be able to analyze data from individual intersections, longer transportation corridors and everything in between.

At the local level, data can be used to identify specific safety challenges and develop safety enhancing countermeasures. At the regional level, data will be used for safety target-setting and monitoring of progress towards safety goals.

Safety is an Equity Issue

In San Francisco, 75% of severe and fatal traffic injuries take place on only 13% of city streets, known as the High Injury Network. Half of these accidents take place in Equity Priority Communities.