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A Safety Plan With Swedish Logic and City Smarts A Safety Plan With Swedish Logic and City Smarts
(4 months later)
STOCKHOLM — The quest to eradicate serious crashes here began with a happy accident. STOCKHOLM — The quest to eradicate serious crashes here began with a happy accident.
In 1967, looking to conform to the roadway patterns of its European neighbors, the Swedish government converted its street traffic from left-hand to right-hand driving.In 1967, looking to conform to the roadway patterns of its European neighbors, the Swedish government converted its street traffic from left-hand to right-hand driving.
To the bafflement of transportation planners, fatality rates immediately plummeted. Was it driver vigilance? The low speed limits imposed at first to ease the change? The broad public awareness campaign?To the bafflement of transportation planners, fatality rates immediately plummeted. Was it driver vigilance? The low speed limits imposed at first to ease the change? The broad public awareness campaign?
The stewards of what are now considered the world’s safest roads have spent nearly a half-century trying to figure it out.The stewards of what are now considered the world’s safest roads have spent nearly a half-century trying to figure it out.
“That was the first time we realized what clever measures could mean for traffic safety,” said Jan Söderström, a fledgling traffic engineer at the time. “It’s not really any advanced science.”“That was the first time we realized what clever measures could mean for traffic safety,” said Jan Söderström, a fledgling traffic engineer at the time. “It’s not really any advanced science.”
Mr. Söderström is now among the leaders of the country’s Vision Zero campaign, which the Swedish Parliament adopted in 1997, to eliminate roadway deaths and serious injuries. Yet amid significant safety gains, the approach has left planners with a puzzle: What works where, and why?Mr. Söderström is now among the leaders of the country’s Vision Zero campaign, which the Swedish Parliament adopted in 1997, to eliminate roadway deaths and serious injuries. Yet amid significant safety gains, the approach has left planners with a puzzle: What works where, and why?
Now it is New York’s turn to seek the answers. Mayor Bill de Blasio has adopted Vision Zero as his top transportation priority, presenting his administration with the unique challenge of drawing local solutions from an international model, while adding new touches befitting a singular American city.Now it is New York’s turn to seek the answers. Mayor Bill de Blasio has adopted Vision Zero as his top transportation priority, presenting his administration with the unique challenge of drawing local solutions from an international model, while adding new touches befitting a singular American city.
On policies like lowering speeds and expanding automated enforcement, for instance, the de Blasio administration seems poised to embrace the Swedish way, in large measure. But the camps appear to diverge on the significance of individual responsibility in street safety, both for drivers and pedestrians.On policies like lowering speeds and expanding automated enforcement, for instance, the de Blasio administration seems poised to embrace the Swedish way, in large measure. But the camps appear to diverge on the significance of individual responsibility in street safety, both for drivers and pedestrians.
“They kind of come from the point of view of, ‘Well, everybody will have cellphones,’ ” said Polly Trottenberg, New York City’s transportation commissioner. In New York, she said, “there’s still a bit more of an element of ‘You know, you can put your phone down while you’re driving.’ ”“They kind of come from the point of view of, ‘Well, everybody will have cellphones,’ ” said Polly Trottenberg, New York City’s transportation commissioner. In New York, she said, “there’s still a bit more of an element of ‘You know, you can put your phone down while you’re driving.’ ”
Indeed, the Swedish philosophy assumes human imperfection at every turn, and places the onus of mitigating its effects largely on traffic engineers.Indeed, the Swedish philosophy assumes human imperfection at every turn, and places the onus of mitigating its effects largely on traffic engineers.
This approach seems to undercut the long-held traffic safety model, popular in the United States, that focuses on the three E’s — education, enforcement and engineering — giving each roughly equal emphasis.This approach seems to undercut the long-held traffic safety model, popular in the United States, that focuses on the three E’s — education, enforcement and engineering — giving each roughly equal emphasis.
“It’s actually quite horrible,” said Ylva Berg, the national coordinator of road safety for the Swedish Transport Administration, of some such education efforts, including a New York Police Department campaign earlier this year to deliver fliers in areas with a recent history of fatal crashes. “Those being victimized in those crashes are those being told to do better.”“It’s actually quite horrible,” said Ylva Berg, the national coordinator of road safety for the Swedish Transport Administration, of some such education efforts, including a New York Police Department campaign earlier this year to deliver fliers in areas with a recent history of fatal crashes. “Those being victimized in those crashes are those being told to do better.”
New York City’s Transportation Department, which has distanced itself from the police initiative, appears to be intent on combining Swedish-style design principles with sustained public awareness campaigns.New York City’s Transportation Department, which has distanced itself from the police initiative, appears to be intent on combining Swedish-style design principles with sustained public awareness campaigns.
The department said it educated young drivers by using murals; taught students how to safely cross midblock, if necessary; and sent safety messages over Instagram, among other programs.The department said it educated young drivers by using murals; taught students how to safely cross midblock, if necessary; and sent safety messages over Instagram, among other programs.
A recent music video, aimed at children and delivered in rhyming verse, urged students to “open your ears, listen to those sounds, scan the streets, keep looking around.”A recent music video, aimed at children and delivered in rhyming verse, urged students to “open your ears, listen to those sounds, scan the streets, keep looking around.”
“A cultural shift requires public dialogue and public education,” said Kim Wiley-Schwartz, the Transportation Department’s assistant commissioner for education and outreach. “There are literally places I can’t engineer the stupid behavior out of people.”“A cultural shift requires public dialogue and public education,” said Kim Wiley-Schwartz, the Transportation Department’s assistant commissioner for education and outreach. “There are literally places I can’t engineer the stupid behavior out of people.”
The city also said it hoped to replicate Sweden’s success with high-volume vehicle operators, like truck fleets, taxis and buses. In Sweden, nearly all school buses and government vehicles include built-in Breathalyzers, which prevent a car from starting if a driver is not sober. About one-third of Swedish taxis have also added the technology.The city also said it hoped to replicate Sweden’s success with high-volume vehicle operators, like truck fleets, taxis and buses. In Sweden, nearly all school buses and government vehicles include built-in Breathalyzers, which prevent a car from starting if a driver is not sober. About one-third of Swedish taxis have also added the technology.
The legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers in Sweden is one-quarter of the American threshold, and random breath tests, carried out by the police, are common. According to a recent study, 99.76 percent of drivers were found to be legally sober.The legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers in Sweden is one-quarter of the American threshold, and random breath tests, carried out by the police, are common. According to a recent study, 99.76 percent of drivers were found to be legally sober.
Across the country, the aim is to build on the safety measures enacted since the effort began more than 15 years ago — lower speed limits, new barriers in medians, redesigned highways — to determine how recent improvements in engineering and technology can all but erase any roadway dangers.Across the country, the aim is to build on the safety measures enacted since the effort began more than 15 years ago — lower speed limits, new barriers in medians, redesigned highways — to determine how recent improvements in engineering and technology can all but erase any roadway dangers.
In a bid to drive down pedestrian and cyclist fatality rates, which have not fallen as quickly as driving deaths, Swedish authorities are investigating an energy-absorbing pavement, to cushion spills, in Stockholm.In a bid to drive down pedestrian and cyclist fatality rates, which have not fallen as quickly as driving deaths, Swedish authorities are investigating an energy-absorbing pavement, to cushion spills, in Stockholm.
Volvo, the car company that has ruled Sweden’s roads for nearly a century, has made significant progress on projects for automatic braking and steering, pedestrian and cyclist detection systems, and sensors that can read road signs.Volvo, the car company that has ruled Sweden’s roads for nearly a century, has made significant progress on projects for automatic braking and steering, pedestrian and cyclist detection systems, and sensors that can read road signs.
The company has established its own Vision Zero, known as Vision 2020, for the year when it anticipates no deaths or serious injuries inside its new vehicles.The company has established its own Vision Zero, known as Vision 2020, for the year when it anticipates no deaths or serious injuries inside its new vehicles.
“It looks very much like we’re going to make it,” said Anders Eugensson, Volvo’s director of government affairs. (The company said it would not disclose precise fatality figures to date.)“It looks very much like we’re going to make it,” said Anders Eugensson, Volvo’s director of government affairs. (The company said it would not disclose precise fatality figures to date.)
For now, New York’s technological ambitions are more modest. The city recently hailed the planned addition of 120 speed-tracking cameras near schools, under a law approved by the State Legislature, which will bring the total to 140 in the city. Sweden has more than 1,100.For now, New York’s technological ambitions are more modest. The city recently hailed the planned addition of 120 speed-tracking cameras near schools, under a law approved by the State Legislature, which will bring the total to 140 in the city. Sweden has more than 1,100.
The city is also seeking to take control of its default speed limits from the state, with a goal of reducing the citywide limit to 25 miles per hour, from 30. Pedestrian and cycling advocates like the group Transportation Alternatives have called for a limit of 20 m.p.h.The city is also seeking to take control of its default speed limits from the state, with a goal of reducing the citywide limit to 25 miles per hour, from 30. Pedestrian and cycling advocates like the group Transportation Alternatives have called for a limit of 20 m.p.h.
Claes Tingvall, Vision Zero’s chief architect in the 1990s and the transport administration’s director of traffic safety, said he was pleased with New York’s proposals, particularly as the administration looks to expand upon Bloomberg-era additions like bike lanes and pedestrian plazas.Claes Tingvall, Vision Zero’s chief architect in the 1990s and the transport administration’s director of traffic safety, said he was pleased with New York’s proposals, particularly as the administration looks to expand upon Bloomberg-era additions like bike lanes and pedestrian plazas.
He suggested that his country was prepared to cede its role as the world’s most visible traffic safety model.He suggested that his country was prepared to cede its role as the world’s most visible traffic safety model.
“We’ve done what we can do, let them take over,” he said on a recent morning, resting his legs inside a coffee shop in central Stockholm. “Sweden is sort of nothing compared to the City of New York.”“We’ve done what we can do, let them take over,” he said on a recent morning, resting his legs inside a coffee shop in central Stockholm. “Sweden is sort of nothing compared to the City of New York.”