Vision Zero - Roadway Safety | City of Hamilton

Vision Zero uses a data-based approach to road safety with the goal of reducing traffic related serious injuries and fatalities towards the only acceptable goal: zero. Vision Zero aims for safer streets through improved education, enforcement, engineering, evaluation and engagement.

Vision Zero is a Swedish approach to road safety thinking. The Vision Zero concept makes human error part of the road safety equation, and has an ultimate goal of no deaths or serious injuries on roadways. Vision Zero is not about reducing accidents, it’s about road safety reform wherein no loss of life or serious injury is acceptable.

Road systems are based on the fact that drivers make mistakes. Vision Zero is about recognizing that traffic deaths and injuries are preventable, and improving the safety of roadways through education, enforcement, engineering, evaluation and engagement.

Hamilton Strategic Road Safety Program and Vision Zero Action Plan 2019 - 2025

New Way of Thinking

Key Themes

Vision Zero Dashboard

Many cities around the world have adopted or are considering the Vision Zero approach, this approach is part of the Canada's Road Safety Strategy 2025 and the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario Vision.

Currently, Hamilton is exploring Vision Zero and asking the community for their opinions about road safety in Hamilton. Please help us to ensure Hamilton the safest place to raise a child and age successfully.

Vision Zero is an engaging and open program, which embraces the community and supports local prosperity by striving towards a safe, reliable road network.
Vision Zero encourages active modes of transportation by addressing road safety for vulnerable road users of all ages and abilities – reducing Hamilton’s contribution to climate change and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

Vision Zero

Focus on fatalities and serious injuries
Flaws in the transportation system identified as cause of collisions
Focus on perfecting road system for imperfect human behavior
Safety initiatives reduce societal costs

Traditional Thinking

Focus on overall collision rates
Human error identified as cause of collisions
Focus on perfecting human behavior on an imperfect road system
Safety initiatives are costly

Safe Speeds

Driving at an appropriate speed reduces the likelihood of a collision, reduces the severity of injuries if a collision does occur, and provides a safety buffer by giving motorists enough time to stop in an emergency.

Safe Vehicles

Safer vehicle designs are outside the responsibility of the municipality, but advances have been implemented by the automotive industry over the last number of decades. Inflatable seat belts, centre air bags, crash avoidance systems, forward-collision warning, traffic sign recognition, adaptive headlights, lane-departure systems, intelligent speed assistance, fatigue-monitoring, pedestrian detection are all examples of new technologies that will increase the safety of vehicles.

Safe Roads

Safe roads play an important role in bringing Vision Zero to life. The design of a road can help manage a driver’s speed, guide a motorist to do the right thing, reduce collisions and allow for human error. Traffic engineers design roads with tools like stop controls or other traffic calming measure to help reduce collisions or other roadway incidents.

Safe Drivers

Driver error is commonly a contributing factor in collisions. Educating drivers and enforcing the rules of the road are critical to reducing injuries and deaths, and achieving Vision Zero.

Vision Zero takes a safe systems approach to prevention. The goal of safe systems is to ensure that these mistakes do not lead to a crash; or, if a crash does occur, it is sufficiently controlled to not cause a death or a life-changing injury.

As part of the City of Hamiton’s goal of reaching Vision Zero in Hamilton, this dashboard allows users to track progress on a number of different safety initiatives including the implementation of community safety zones, speed cushions, traffic signals, and more. Over the course of 2021 and beyond, the City will continue to implement and expand the functionality of the Vision Zero Dashboard.

This dashboard is best viewed on a desktop browser or tablet in landscape mode.

View the dashboard in a new window

Disclaimer: Collision Data Accuracy and Completeness
The City of Hamilton and the Hamilton Police Service jointly maintain a database of all reported collisions involving motorized vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians from 2011 onward. While the City and the HPS endeavour to provide accurate information, please note that the information provided may not be complete or current and may contain errors. Accordingly, neither the City nor the HPS make any representation as to the accuracy of the information nor its suitability for any purpose and specifically disclaim any liability for any omissions or errors.