L.A.’s Vermont Avenue has a higher pedestrian fatality rate than the entire state of Vermont—urging safer streets

Los Angeles is notorious for its bumper-to-bumper traffic, but it’s more than just a nuisance – it’s deadly, especially for pedestrians and cyclists. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death in LA for kids, and in 2023, traffic accidents claimed the lives of 337 people in the city, with 176 of those being pedestrians. To address this, Measure HLA is on the March 5th ballot, aiming to enforce LA’s Mobility Plan and improve street safety by implementing traffic calming features, protected bike lanes, and better sidewalks.

The rise in traffic fatalities is not unique to LA, but is a national trend with pedestrian deaths up 77% in the US since 2010. However, there are examples of success, such as the city of Hoboken, New Jersey, which has not experienced a traffic death in seven years partly due to its Vision Zero program. This indicates that successful street safety measures can be implemented in the US, with valuable takeaways for cities like Los Angeles.