Philadelphia officials released the 2024 Vision Zero Annual Report on Monday, highlighting citywide fatal crash data and outlining strategies to achieve zero traffic deaths by 2030.
The report highlights that preliminary fatal crash data for the current year is lower than 2023, but still above pre-2020 levels. As of October, there were 84 fatal crashes in 2024, as compared to 100 at the same time in 2023.
However, the trend continues that since 2020, severe crashes are more likely to result in death – with 29 percent of severe crashes resulting in death in 2023, as compared to 17 percent of crashes in 2019.
“Every life lost to traffic violence is tragic and the only acceptable number of traffic deaths is zero,” said Mike Carroll, Deputy Managing Director for Transportation and Infrastructure. “The number of severe crashes resulting in fatalities has risen. But behind these statistics are real people – our friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. Every increase in crashes reflects the pain felt by families and communities.”
The post-2020 increase in traffic deaths has most impacted pedestrians and cyclists. As compared to the 2015-2019 average, deaths among people in a vehicle increased by 29 percent, while deaths among people walking and rolling increased by 65 percent.
Ten cyclists were killed in crashes last year – a record for Philadelphia. In July, 30-year-old Dr. Barbara Ann Friedes, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia doctor, was struck and killed while riding in a bike lane near 18th and Spruce streets.
In an effort to address escalating bike safety concerns, Mayor Cherelle Parker signed a No-Stopping in Bike Lanes bill last week, which will reclassify more than 35 miles of curbside lanes and all bike lanes to “No Stopping Anytime,” prohibiting stopping, standing, or parking in bicycle lanes, and will also increase fines for violations.
“City Council and I hope and believe the No-Stopping in Bike Lanes legislation will improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists,” Parker said after signing the bill. “Philadelphia’s diverse transportation system requires safer streets for all users.”
An equity issue
According to the Vision Zero Report, zip codes with high rates of poverty see the highest rates of traffic crash hospitalizations. From 2019 to 2023, the rate of hospitalizations per 100,000 residents from traffic crashes was highest for Black Philadelphians.
City officials say they are taking into account the specific needs of underserved communities, and highlighted programs such as the Complete & Safe Streets Philadelphia: Vision Zero High Injury Network Corridors project. The city was awarded $16.4 million in federal funding for this endeavor, which will support traffic safety improvements on Hunting Park Avenue from Wissahickon Avenue to Roosevelt Boulevard. Additionally, PennDOT is installing new pedestrian median island along Broad Street from Allegheny Avenue to Roosevelt Boulevard.
“Every Philadelphian deserves to be able to travel safely throughout our city and return home safe and unharmed,” said Parker. “It doesn’t matter where you live or work, your age, race or ethnicity, ability, income, or how you choose to travel. You deserve to be safe traveling on our streets.”
Speed camera expansion
City Council, in an unanimous vote, passed a bill last week authorizing the installation of an automated speed enforcement system on Route 13, which stretches from Cobbs Creek to the Far Northeast.
The state route, which runs along sections of Frankford, Hunting Park and Baltimore avenues, will become the third stretch of roadway equipped with speed cameras in Philadelphia — cameras have monitored speed along Roosevelt Boulevard since 2020, and the devices are expected to be turned on in the coming months on Broad Street.
Speeding violations have plummeted on Roosevelt Boulevard in the four years since the cameras were introduced. According to Cole Appelman, a policy analyst at the city’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, pedestrian-involved crashes have been cut in half, and the number of fatal and serious injuries incidents have dropped 21%.
Looking ahead
The Vision Zero Task Force will release an action plan by Oct. 31, 2025, which will include planning, programming, and funding from 2025 through 2030. As the plan is developed over the next year, city officials are encouraging Philadelphians to get involved by sharing their traffic safety concerns and goals for safer streets.
Those who wish to get involved can fill out an interest form online.
