Indicator
Number of Traffic Fatalities
Ensuring a safer transportation system – for all modes – is a growing priority for the nation and region. ON TO 2050 offers strategies to improve safety for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. To track progress, this measure tracks the five-year rolling average of the number of fatalities in the CMAP region on all public roads. This includes all motor vehicle fatalities and any pedestrians and cyclists involved. After declining for several decades, traffic fatality rates began increasing again in 2010, likely due to a combination of increased driving during the economic recovery and the rise of distracted driving fueled by smartphone usage. This measure is also a federally required performance measure under MAP-21.
Targets
Because traffic deaths are preventable, the region should strive for zero traffic related fatalities by 2050. Many of CMAP’s partners have embraced the goal of achieving zero traffic related fatalities. This goal can be achieved through a holistic approach to safety that includes the 4 E’s (Education, Enforcement, Engineering, & Emergency Response) of traffic safety. Additionally, improvements in vehicle technology are expected to play a significant role in reducing traffic fatalities.
2025: 313 or fewer fatalities per year
2050: Zero fatalities per year
Sections
- Actual
- Target
