Washington Traffic Safety Commission Announces Update to ‘Target Zero,’ Adds Five New Initiatives

… The new initiatives being introduced by the WTSC include leveraging the state’s traffic safety culture, focusing on health equity and multicultural communications, updating cooperative automated transportation, prevention through safe systems approach and identifying the best practices in licensing and regulation.

Washington has a strong traffic safety culture, according to the WTSC, with the state’s seatbelt use rate at 93 percent, one of the best in the nation. Target Zero’s first initiative is to enlist the majority of Washingtonians who practice safe driving to encourage the minority of drivers who engage in riskier driving behavior.

Target Zero’s second initiative identifies that people living in poverty or vulnerable and marginalized populations are more likely to be involved in serious or fatal car accidents and would make investments in education and infrastructure for underserved areas were needed.