HomeMy WebLinkAbout03 - Proclamation - SCAG Safety Pledge - 5/18/2021. `DyTp MFS.
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SCAG Safety Model Resolution
WHEREAS, California has made progress in enhancing safety, the 2015 California Strategic Highway
Safety Plan reports a 30.4 percent reduction in fatalities and a 17.5 percent reduction in severe injuries
between 2005 and 2012 as vehicle -miles traveled remained fairly constant statewide; and
WHEREAS, however, traffic deaths are the second leading cause of deaths in the Southern California
Association of Governments (SCAG) region of six counties, 191 cities, and roughly 19 million people;
and
WHEREAS, on average, each year 1,500 people die in traffic collisions, 5,200 are seriously injured, and
136,000 are injured in the SCAG region; and
WHEREAS, children are disproportionately impacted by traffic collisions, and 446 children under age 16
were killed while walking in California between 2003 and 2010; and
WHEREAS, traffic injuries and deaths in the SCAG region disproportionately impact young adults, older
adults, and people with disabilities, as 42 percent of collision victims were age 18-34 and 26 percent of
pedestrian fatality victims were age 65 or older between 2001 and 2016; and
WHEREAS, non -motorized trips represented 12% of all trips, but 25% of all traffic fatalities, in the SCAG
region between 2001 and 2016; and
WHEREAS, jurisdictions recognize that non -motorized safety is an equity issue, and that pedestrian
injury rates in the SCAG region were significantly higher in high -poverty, predominately Black or African
American, and predominately Hispanic or Latino census tracts between 2005 and 2014; and
WHEREAS, the National Safety Council reports that the calculable costs of motor -vehicle crashes are
wage and productivity losses, medical expenses, administrative expenses, motor vehicle damage, and
employers' uninsured costs; and
WHEREAS, an average cost of each traffic death is $1,542,000, traffic injury is $90,000 and property
damage only is $4,200; and
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WHEREAS, fatalities and injuries on our streets are unacceptable when they are preventable; and
WHEREAS, streets and transportation systems have traditionally been designed primarily for maximum
vehicular capacity and mobility, rather than the safe accommodation of all modes and users; and
WHEREAS, the City of Costa Mesa goals include protecting the safety, health and security of its
residents, businesses, employees and visitors; and
WHEREAS, SCAG has developed safety targets to reduce fatalities by 3 percent and serious injuries by
1.5 annually and reach Towards Zero Deaths by 2050; and
WHEREAS, the SCAG Go Human Campaign focuses on safety and reducing traffic collisions and
encouraging people to walk and bike more in the SCAG region; and
WHEREAS, successful traffic safety programs are a result of both a complete government
approach (i.e. interdepartmental, coordinated initiatives) and community support of
Safety goals and action plan; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I, John Stephens, Mayor of the City of Costa Mesa, pledges to take action on the
essential elements of traffic safety, including activities related to education, enforcement, engineering,
evaluation, encouragement, and equity.
DATED this 181" of May, 2021.