By: By Gavin Jenkins
Zero deaths due to accidents on America's roads—during a recorded address to the 2022 American Traffic Safety Services Association's Traffic Expo in Tampa Bay, Florida, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said that is the Biden Administration's new national policy.
"I understand the scale of the challenge and the ambition represented by that goal," Secretary Buttigieg said. "And I understand we might not get there during my tenure as secretary.
"But the decision to commit to that goal changes the way cities and towns design roads, the way companies build cars and the way people drive them."
Over 42,000 people died in car accidents in 2020, an increase from 2019, according to the National Safety Council. That figure increased again in 2021, despite many people still working from home because of the pandemic.
"To deliver on our shared goal, we need to continue working together," Secretary Buttigieg said.
At the beginning of his remarks, Secretary Buttigieg highlighted how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) focuses on safety, with $6 billion dedicated to helping cities and towns deliver new comprehensive safety strategies.
"This will protect, not only drivers, but all road users, including people who walk, bike or use a wheelchair," he said.
Secretary Buttigieg added that the IIJA also focuses on strengthening existing safety measures, like the vehicle rating system.
The 2022 ATSSA Traffic Expo wraps up tomorrow in Tampa Bay.
