The North Dakota DOT (NDDOT) recently announced that for the first time in 17 years, the state could be finishing off the year with less than 100 roadway fatalities—a significant achievement for the state's Vision Zero strategy.
Keeping the roadway deaths count under 100 has not been achieved in North Dakota since 2002 when the number was 97, according to the department.
The goal of NDDOT's Vision Zero plan is to use education, enforcement, engineering, emergency medical services, and other disciplines to reduce motor vehicle fatalities over time, with the first goal to decrease fatalities to 75 or fewer by 2025. Remaining under 100 is a significant step towards the goal of zero motor vehicle fatalities and serious injuries on North Dakota roads.
“All drivers need to remember that personal responsibility behind the wheel means always wearing their seat belt, driving sober, and distraction-free,” North Dakota Highway Patrol Sergeant Wade Kadrmas said in a statement. “Zero may seem like an unachievable goal, but when it comes to your life or the lives of your family, is any other number acceptable?”
The current roadway fatality count in North Dakota is 93, whereas at the same time last year the count was 96. The total number of lives lost in 2018 was 105.
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SOURCE: North Dakota DOT