Decreasing pedestrian collisions is an important step in creating environments that support walking, both as an alternative to driving and as a leisure activity. Quality, safe pedestrian environments support a decreased risk of motor vehicle collisions and an increase in physical activity and social cohesion, with benefits including the prevention of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, as well as stress reduction and mental health improvements that promote individual and community health. Environments that encourage walking while discouraging driving can further reduce traffic-related noise and air pollution – associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, premature death, and lung function changes especially in children and people with lung diseases such as asthma.
Unfortunately, every year in San Francisco, about 30 people lose their lives and over 200 more are seriously injured while traveling on city streets. These deaths and injuries are unacceptable and preventable, and San Francisco is committed to stopping further loss of life.[i]
The Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods have historically had the highest density of severe and fatal pedestrian collisions in the city. Between 2011 and 2015 the number of severe and fatal pedestrian collisions increased in both the CMTL boundary and the city overall (by 4 and 8 collisions per year respectively).
Pedestrian Injury Data was obtained from the SF Department of Public Health, Program on Health, Equity & Sustainability, 2011-2015.
*Due to the high density of severe and fatal pedestrian collisions in the CMTL boundary, most streets have been designated as “high injury corridors” by San Francisco’s Vision Zero Initiative. This designation means that they will be prioritized for engineering and enforcement activities that will improve pedestrian safety.
[i] Vision Zero SF. Found at: http://visionzerosf.org/about/what-is-vision-zero/.