Forward - City of Chicago

safety first
Safety is paramount in a complicated transportation system where pedestrians share
action agenda
the right of way with fast moving vehicles, bicycles intermingle with delivery trucks,
and roadways cross freight rail lines. Policies and actions to keep everyone safe
must take many forms, and be addressed at multiple levels. From planning through
implementation to evaluation, from education to enforcement, safety is always a
priority for the city.
On average, Chicago experiences roughly 3,000 crashes between motor vehicles and
pedestrians resulting in 50 pedestrian deaths each year. This is safer than the 2003
to 2007 period when the city had over 3,500 crashes and more than 60 pedestrian
fatalities a year, and a dramatic change from 1994 when 88 pedestrians were killed in
that year alone. Chicago has been making steady progress to improve transportation
safety for all users, and has had fewer pedestrian fatalities per capita than most of
its peer cities.
But every life lost is one too many.
The Chicago Department of Transportation will take action to promote safety at every
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level of project development and through multiple avenues of outreach. Planning,
evaluation, and budget programming provide a firm foundation for ensuring continuous
improvement in safety performance, while thoughtful and innovative design of each
individual project improves overall system safety. Education and enforcement are
also critical components to ensure that users of the system understand their role and
responsibility in public safety.