Removing 'This' from the Streets... 7 Years with Zero Traffic Accident Deaths

Hoboken City, New Jersey Implements 'Vision Zero' Policy
No Fatalities Since Intersection Parking Enforcement
Model for Other U.S. Cities... New York, Portland Also Adopted

A city in the United States has attracted attention for not having a single traffic accident fatality for seven years simply by enforcing street parking regulations.

According to the AP News on the 3rd (local time), "Hoboken City in New Jersey, with a population of 60,000, has not had a single traffic accident death involving car occupants, cyclists, or pedestrians for seven years since implementing the 'Vision Zero' policy that restricts street parking in 2017."

Vision Zero focuses on preventing parking near intersections to increase visibility for drivers and pedestrians. This policy was implemented through the strong will of Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who took office in 2017.

Mayor Bhalla was motivated to create safer streets after attending the funeral of an 89-year-old woman who was struck and killed by a van while crossing a busy commercial street in Washington in 2015, when he was serving as a city council member.

Hoboken City, New Jersey, USA

Mayor Bhalla stated, "I believed that elderly people should be able to cross streets as safely as possible, which made me realize the need for Vision Zero measures." After being elected mayor, he dedicated himself to passing policies that eliminated parked vehicles on the streets.

Hoboken is also one of the areas in the U.S. with the highest public transportation usage, with 56% of residents commuting daily by public transit.

Currently, many U.S. cities are moving to model themselves after Hoboken. Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, announced in 2022 that "Hoboken’s Vision Zero policy restricting street parking will be followed."

Since then, several major U.S. cities including New York, San Francisco, Baltimore, and Portland have adopted Vision Zero policies. New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced in November last year that he would prohibit parking at 1,000 intersections annually.

The California State Legislature passed a bill last year banning parking within 6 meters of intersections statewide. Violators will receive warnings starting in January, with fines imposed from early next year.

However, even in Hoboken, some merchants and citizens have expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "Vision Zero makes it inconvenient to use commercial facilities due to parking restrictions."