EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT TOWARD VISION ZERO
The first step to addressing equity and engagement through Vision Zero is to build a deeper understanding of how social inequalities affect the health and safety of Angelenos. For example, race may affect the safety of people of color as they walk from place to place. In one study, blacks trying to cross the street had to wait 32-percent longer than whites because cars did not stop to allow them to cross safely. 17 Although health equity and social equity are directly related, they have different implications for safety on our streets. We must continue to better define and understand issues of social and health equity to support traffic safety in all our communities.
17 Tara Goddard, Kimberly Barsamian Kahn, and Arlie Adkins, " Racial Bias in Driver Yielding Behavior at Crosswalks "( Portland, Oregon: Transportation Research and Education Center, 2014).
We can grow our understanding of these complex issues by building relationships with communities where health disparities are concentrated alongside social inequities such as poverty, unemployment, and crime. We will engage community members from the beginning of the project planning process and work to build trust. City staff will work side by side with community members to develop plans and identify grant opportunities that accomplish Vision Zero priorities. The City has already secured $ 500,000 from the State of California’ s Office of Traffic Safety for Community-Based Outreach and Education to implement the Vision Zero education campaign. The majority of these dollars will directly fund community-based organizations to help engage and educate on the topic of traffic safety along the priority corridors.
28 VISION ZERO LA | ACTION PLAN 2017