AARP Pennsylvania Supports 2024 Vision Zero Conference in Philadelphia

AARP Pennsylvania both sponsored, and participated in, the Philadelphia Vision Zero Conference on Friday, March 22. The conference, since its inception in 2017, is a daylong event hosted by the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, focused on ways governments, communities, and individuals, can work together to make the city and its streets safer for all road users.

This year’s Vision Zero Conference theme was “Cross Roads,” focusing on how to bring Vision Zero into the mainstream and “take the politics out of saving lives.” For AARP, encouraging policymakers and across the country to adopt the Vision Zero program for road safety, is a priority. Simply put: Vision Zero looks to make streets safer for people of all ages, so there are no more pedestrian deaths. Ever.

As a recognized community leader and advocate for the Philadelphia Age-Friendly Livable Communities Action Plan, AARP Pennsylvania’s Yocasta Lora set the stage for the lunchtime keynote session at the conference, explaining to the sold-out audience why Vision Zero is so important for the city’s 50+ population.

“The benefits of Vision Zero are numerous and perhaps most significant for older adults,” she said. “As we age, our reflexes and reaction times slow down, making us more vulnerable to crashes on the road. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, adults over 65 have the highest rate of pedestrian fatalities compared to any other age group.”

AARP has been working with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and the entire Philadelphia Livable Communities Network to pass laws that slow down vehicles and make our streets safer for all users for many years – and we have been successful with the implementation of sidewalk improvements, better bike lanes and trails that suit people ages 8 to 80, and the creation and expansion of the speed camera program on Roosevelt Boulevard.

“By implementing Vision Zero, we can create a safer environment for older adults to live and move around,” Lora continued. “This initiative makes streets and intersections safer through traffic calming measures, improved lighting, and better pedestrian infrastructure. Truly, Philadelphia’s Vision Zero efforts are a key to fulfilling Mayor Parker’s promise to make our city the Cleanest, Greenest Big City in America.”

The night earlier, Mayor Parker signed an executive order dedicating her administration to Vision Zero.

The ongoing Vision Zero plan in Philadelphia means designing for safety, setting lower speed limits and effectively enforcing speed limits by using automated speed enforcement technologies that are more effective and equitable than traditional officer-initiated enforcement.

To learn more about AARP’s Vision Zero efforts, check out our Livable Communities pages on the subject.