Vision Zero 2.0 in San Francisco

san francisco pedestrians at crosswalk

San Francisco was the second city in the United States to adopt a Vision Zero resolution back in 2014. The pledge was to reach zero severe and fatal traffic accidents within 10 years. Walk San Francisco, a non-profit we love supporting, advocated heavily to bring about Vision Zero in San Francisco. As of the writing of this post in May of 2024, San Francisco is already up to 13 fatalities this year. That is 13 fatalities over the goal and the year is not finished. The most recent fatality was just this month and the collision was in an area declared a “High Injury Network” by the Vision Zero plan. It’s time for Vision Zero 2.0 in San Francisco and we’re sponsoring Walk SF to help lead the way.

A Recap of Vision Zero in San Francisco

Since 2014, there have been 300 catastrophic collisions resulting in fatalities in San Francisco (there may still be some under investigation). 2022 was a record-breaking year that hadn’t been seen since 2007 with the most fatalities during the Vision Zero initiative. As we all know too well, nothing moves quickly in government settings, including the release of data. The most recent report from the San Francisco Department of Public Health in collaboration with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the San Francisco Police Department was published in May of 2023 (hopefully the next report will be available soon) and recapped Vision Zero at the end of 2022. In fact, the report only counted 39 fatalities for 2022 as two fatalities were still under investigation. The report looked at demographics, modes of travel, collision factors, and even time of day to look for correlations beyond the already identified High Injury Network. Pedestrians continue to be the highest group impacted by San Francisco’s unsafe streets with the most fatalities each year.

San Francisco Traffic Fatalities from 2005 to 2022

Bringing Vision Zero 2.0 to San Francisco

As we mentioned earlier, we’re sponsoring Walk SF for Vision Zero 2.0 advocacy. It’s clear the efforts made in San Francisco over these last 10 years haven’t been enough. Other cities in the United States and around the world are making similar efforts and having much higher success rates. Why not San Francisco? Red tape, delays, leadership (or lack thereof), slow data analysis, lack of funding, lack of support, and maybe even a fear of change or backlash from drivers. You can take your pick from these and many other factors that might contribute to the lack of success so far in Vision Zero.

What we’re calling for, along with Walk San Francisco, is a renewed pledge to Vision Zero as Vision Zero 2.0. Let’s learn from the inadequacies and be brave enough to examine the failures and make the tough decisions needed for success in having zero fatalities in San Francisco streets. If we take a hard look at what we’re doing in San Francisco as compared to other cities having success with their Vision Zero resolutions, we can make Vision Zero 2.0 a success in San Francisco.

San Francisco started with Quick-Build Programs for reducing catastrophic injuries and fatalities in the High Injury Network areas, but most of the projects turned out to not be very “quick.” The delays in the projects have expanded the timeline beyond the 10-year goal. If we renew our pledge with Vision Zero 2.0 in San Francisco, we believe we can be successful. We need to move beyond the “quick” Band-Aids and address the root of what could be called a disease for San Francisco as more people have been killed in collisions so far this year than by homicide. Looking at New York, who also started Vision Zero in 2014 like San Francisco, banning right turns on red lights, reducing speeds, and adding more speed cameras to aid the Police with enforcement did show a significant drop in pedestrian deaths. We know banning right turns on red lights isn’t a small ask, but perhaps what we need to ask isn’t “can this be a quick fix,” but instead ask, “is this a necessary fix?” When lives continue to be lost, we want to look at necessary interventions, even ones that may not be so popular with drivers like ending right turns on red lights. San Francisco needs to be safe and end collision-related fatalities more than it needs to get you to work on time when you got out the door late.


How You Can Help Make Vision Zero 2.0 a Reality

Start with a visit to Walk San Francisco’s Vision Zero Campaign page. On the right, you’ll see a menu of resolutions by district. You’ll be able to quickly and easily send a letter to your district’s Supervisor thanking them for supporting Vision Zero and asking them to renew their efforts. Let them know why safe streets matter to you.

Next, we need a plan of action from City and Government Leaders. S.B. 961 just passed at the State Senate and is going to the Assembly. Bills like this that target the root of the problem, like speeding drivers in this case, are going to be necessary as part of a plan of action. Do your part and VOTE for action items like S.B. 961 when they become available for a vote. And when they start working their way through the government, send letters of support to your leaders and ask for their support in making positive changes that will save lives. If you don’t know what’s coming up in government that might save lives for people in San Francisco, check out the news page from Walk SF. They will frequently post not only what’s coming but whom to contact with your support or request for change. They also frequently have something posted on their Take Action page.

What is S.B. 961?

SB 961 would require all cars and trucks manufactured or sold in California starting in 2027 (except emergency vehicles) to have ‘Intelligent Speed Assistance’ technology. All new vehicles in Europe will have this starting this summer. SB 961 would require audio and visual warnings to the driver when the vehicle is being operated in excess of 10 MPH over the speed limit.
If passed, SB 961 would bring needed safety technology into the vehicle fleet in California and likely our entire country, just like when seat belt laws started at the state level.


If you or a loved one have been in a traffic collision with injuries, know that we’re not only advocating for change, but we’re also personal injury attorneys in San Francisco ready to help fight for your rights. Consultations are free.


New Year, New Law for Pedestrians

Pedestrians are safest in crosswalks.  However, crossing the street outside of a marked crosswalk is still something pedestrians do and is commonly known as jaywalking–crossing between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic signal devices or law enforcement where there is no crosswalk.  California law has historically prohibited jaywalking allowing police officers to issue citations for a moving violation to pedestrians carrying a fine of up to $250.00. (California Vehicle Code section 21955). 

Unfortunately, California has seen an inequitable number of jaywalking fines going to minority groups, which is part of what started the momentum behind the “Freedom to Walk” act signed in by Governor Gavin Newsom.  Phil Ting, a San Francisco assembly member helped write the legislation along with fellow assembly member Laura Friedman of Glendale.  Mr. Ting commented that “minority groups don’t need to be harassed by law enforcement.” Data from the California Racial Identity Profiling Act shows that Black people in San Diego are 4.3 times as likely to be cited for jaywalking as white pedestrians and 3.7 times as likely to be cited by the Los Angeles Police Department. Effective since January 1, 2023, the new law restricts police officers from stopping pedestrians for jaywalking unless “a reasonable person would realize there is an immediate danger of collision with a moving vehicle or other device moving exclusively by human power” (which would be something like a bicycle). The new act, AB-2147,  also applies to pedestrians walking against a traffic light or pedestrians not walking closest to the left side of the road. 

The key here is “reasonable person.”  A police officer may still issue a ticket to a pedestrian that violates the laws that apply to pedestrians if they believe you are going to cause a collision. 

AB-2147 was enacted to rectify the disparity of the imposition of monetary fines on minority groups and the targeting of individuals for minor infractions of the law.  The changes to the law decriminalizes jaywalking and the law now can’t be used as a pretext to detain someone. But, there are still laws on the books that require pedestrians to use crosswalks, obey traffic signals and other basic traffic laws.  The sad fact is that even when pedestrians follow safe practices for walking and crossing the street, including using crosswalks and obeying traffic signals, pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. are high.  2022 was a record-breaking year for pedestrian fatalities with an estimated 7,485 pedestrian deaths in the United States, the most in four decades.   San Francisco saw 13 pedestrians killed in 2021, and on average more than 500 are severely injured each year.   So while we support the goal behind AB-2147 to end targeting of racial minorities and low-income communities, we believe that whenever or wherever you are walking you need do whatever you can to stay safe and stay visible to cars.   We support Vision Zero and we won’t stop advocating for pedestrian safety until we see ZERO pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities each year.

If you or a loved one wishes to speak with a pedestrian accident lawyer in California, please contact us.  Consultations are free.  We have offices in San Francisco and Paso Robles, California.

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Pedestrian Fatalities Peak in 2019; Highest Since 1988

pedestrian accident lawyer

We are pedestrian accident lawyers and we take our mission as advocates for pedestrian (and bicyclist) safety to heart, and we think you’ll agree with us when we say the increase in pedestrian fatalities is something to speak up about. 

Over the past 30 years, pedestrian fatalities have been increasing in the United States and California is one of the states with the most fatalities.  New (preliminary) data is out and it shows that 2019 will be the year with the most pedestrian fatalities since 1988! The report comes from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and they predict that 6,590 pedestrian fatalities occurred in 2019 from their preliminary data.  This is a 53% increase of pedestrian fatalities just since 2009.

California is looking like it will reclaim its place as the state with the most pedestrian fatalities (Florida took the title away from California in 2015).  Vision Zero in San Francisco has been raising more awareness for pedestrians and pedestrian safety in San Francisco, but 2019 did not meet its target even though 2017 and 2018 saw reduced numbers in pedestrian fatalities within the County.

We won’t stop until we see ZERO pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities and neither should you!

This new data is alarming.  But that doesn’t mean we should quit fighting.  The report from the GHSA included correlational data about the increase in smartphones and the shift between owning fewer passenger cars and more light trucks or SUVs, but correlation isn’t a guarantee of causation.  We’ve written in this blog before about the relationship speed plays in pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and concerns over the relationship rideshare services play in the rise of traffic fatalities.  There are many factors involved. 

Here’s what we do know:

  • Distractions while driving are increasing
  • Alcohol is a factor in nearly half of pedestrian accidents with a fatality
  • Speed is the top factor in pedestrian accidents with a fatality
  • Most incidents resulting in pedestrian fatalities occur in urban areas and at night
  • Injuries and fatalities happen at intersections but most fatalities occur away from intersections

What this means for drivers:

  • Put distractions out of reach
  • Never drive impaired by drugs, alcohol, or sleep deprivation
  • SLOW DOWN
  • Be extra vigilant when driving at night
  • Watch for pedestrians around parked cars and not just at crosswalks

None of these requests are difficult to achieve and when driving, we all must do our part to protect pedestrians, after all, we are all pedestrians even if that’s just walking to and from our car.

If you would like to read more about the rise of pedestrian fatalities from the GHSA, the report is available here: https://www.ghsa.org/resources/Pedestrians20

As pedestrian accident lawyers, this topic is important to us.  You are welcome to browse through our other articles on pedestrian accidents, injuries, safety and advocacy here: https://www.rahmanlawsf.com/archive/category/personal-injury-lawyer/pedestrian-accident-lawyer/

If you or a loved one wishes to speak with a pedestrian accident lawyer, please contact us.  Consultations are free.  We have offices in San Francisco and Paso Robles, California.

San Francisco Personal Injury Attorneys Rahman Law PC Sponsor Walk to Work Day 2019

Walk to Work Day 2019

Walk to Work Day 2019

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 2, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — San Francisco Personal Injury Attorneys, Rahman Law PC, are pleased to announce their repeat sponsorship of Walk San Francisco’s annual Walk to Work Day. The event will take place Wednesday, April 10, 2019 between 7:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Last year’s event was the biggest ever and participation is expected to increase again this year. San Francisco was the first city in the nation to officially celebrate Walk to Work Day in 2013 and Rahman Law PC has participated in or sponsored the event for the past 6 years.

Walk to Work Day was introduced by Prevention Magazine in 2004 to encourage walking as an everyday part of a healthy lifestyle. San Francisco made Walk to Work Day official to further this mission by raising pedestrian safety awareness to make walking better in San Francisco every day. Walk San Francisco, a non-profit dedicated to making the streets of San Francisco a more livable, walkable shared public space, supports Walk to Work Day with Hubs where volunteers give out freebies, coffee, and prizes for commuters who participate.

As with last year, Walk to Work Day 2019 will include a rally at City Hall at 9 a.m. to give pedestrians an opportunity to ask City leaders to make the streets safer for everyone.

Shaana Rahman, the principal and founder of Rahman Law PC, is a personal injury attorney in San Francisco and Paso Robles. Ms. Rahman serves on the Board of Directors of Walk San Francisco and believes in advocating to keep San Francisco safe for everyone. As a personal injury attorney in San Francisco, she has seen firsthand how dangerous the high-injury corridors can be to pedestrians. These corridors are the 6 percent of streets in San Francisco where 60 percent of pedestrian injuries and fatalities from collisions occur. Last year, there were 15 pedestrian fatalities in San Francisco, which is fewer than in 2013, the year Walk to Work Day became official in San Francisco, but still too many.

In addition to sponsoring Walk to Work Day in San Francisco, Ms. Rahman and some of the Rahman Law PC staff will be volunteering at a Work Day Hub. Work Day Hub locations can be found on the Walk San Francisco website (walksf.org). To meet Ms. Rahman and the other personal injury attorneys of Rahman Law PC, follow the Rahman Law PC Facebook page (facebook.com/rahmanLawSF) to find out which Hub they will be at and receive updates on making San Francisco a safer place for pedestrians.

Bicycle Safety: How the Speed Limit Factors into Cyclist and Pedestrian Injuries

Most cyclist fatalities in urban and rural areas occur in 45 mph zones (link to other blog on fatalities); however, the likelihood of sustaining a survivable injury as a pedestrian or cyclist in a 45 mph zone is not the same. 

What is the same is the speed limit where the most injuries occur: 25 mph.

Part of the reason most injuries occur for cyclists and pedestrians in 25 mph zones is the survivability factor.  The likelihood of sustaining a serious or fatal injury in a collision with a vehicle as a pedestrian or cyclist goes up dramatically from 18% at 20 mph to 77% at 40 mph (AAA Foundation).  Another reason for more cyclist and pedestrian injuries at lower speeds is the increased exposure as there are likely going to be more pedestrians in a 25 mph zone than a 75 mph zone.  

The speed limits where the most cyclist and pedestrian injuries occur according to the NHTSA are 25 mph, 35 mph, and 30 mph (in that order).  This data is combined for urban and rural areas.  Keep in mind that the data for injuries comes from serious injuries which are reported.  There may be more injuries occurring than what are reported and would likely be in lower speed zones because of the lack for the need of medical care.

bicycle safety, pedestrian injury, cyclist injury
bicycle safety, pedestrian injury, cyclist injury

Speeding is Also Responsible for Cyclist and Pedestrian Injuries

The information gathered by the NHTSA, NCSA, FARS, and ARF between 2010 and 2015 relied on speed limits to assume speed for much of their data.  Speeding (going over the speed limit) factors into approximately 30% of all motor vehicle fatalities in the United States and is the leading cause of about 8% of pedestrian fatalities.  The most common speed limit zone for pedestrian and cyclist fatalities to occur as a result of speeding is 35 mph.  Specifics on the number of cyclist and pedestrian injuries that were a direct result of speeding was not published; however, 35 mph is the zone with the second-most injuries for both pedestrians and bicyclists, making it likely that there are a portion of injuries occurring as a direct result of speeding.  The unfortunate reality is that speed kills.

Pedestrian Safety

The California Legislature enacted the Pedestrian Safety Act in 2000 which includes new requirements for driver education on pedestrian safety among other items.  California Vehicle Code sections 21950-21954 provide legal measures for pedestrian safety and protection, including that drivers have a higher duty of care than pedestrians.  And in San Francisco, pedestrian safety is going even further with Vision Zero to bring the number of pedestrian injuries and fatalities to zero.  These measures are looking to increase pedestrian safety through more awareness and enforcement in California, including speed-related pedestrian safety issues.