Charlotte isn't reaching goal of eliminating traffic deaths. Bad drivers aren't helping

Despite the city of Charlotte investing $10.5 million in traffic safety projects since 2018, more people died or were injured in crashes last year.

Why it matters: The rising fatalities are a failure by the city to follow through on its "Vision Zero" goal, a failure by police to crack down on traffic laws and a failure of the community for being terrible drivers.

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By the numbers: In 2023, there were 163 KSI (killed or seriously injured) crashes: 69 fatal and 94 with serious injuries.

• The year prior, there were 66 deaths and 77 serious injuries, a total of 143 crashes.
• In the first year of the Vision Zero program, 2018, there were 154 KSI crashes: 68 fatal and 86 serious injuries.
• So far there have been 85 KSI crashes in 2024; 33 of which were fatal.

In 2023, there were 163 total crashes resulting in death or serious injury. The highest number in the time period was 185 crashes in 2021. Data: City of Charlotte; Chart: Axios Visuals City of Charlotte

What they're saying: "We are a family-centric city, and we really need to focus on one another," says Cynthia Salazar of the Charlotte Department of Transportation. "Rushing that one minute or whatever isn't going to really gain you that much, but you can lose a lot more."

• Salazar is the community coordinator for Vision Zero, Charlotte's goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries. It's her job to go out to the neighborhoods, schools and churches to spread awareness of safe driving and educate people on sometimes-confusing traffic signals that the city's paid for.
• She says the program organizers are grappling with Charlotte's rapidly growing population and conflicting driving habits coming from different regions . About 113 people move to the Charlotte region every day, according to the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance .
• "Charlotte has a slower pace, and sometimes these two kind of energies don't really go well together, and they'll clash," Salazar says.

Driving the news: Last month an internal audit slammed the city for not executing the Vision Zero program effectively. Among the criticisms, it stated:

• CDOT had not charged someone with making sure Vision Zero action items were completed.
• The city wasn't monitoring the driving behavior of its own employees. For example, the audit states that city-owned cars block sidewalks.
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department was not concentrating enforcement efforts with the most deaths and injuries. (A recent New York Times report found Charlotte traffic stops have fallen 35%, mirroring the national trend of dwindling enforcement since the pandemic.)
• CMPD was not sufficiently tracking data, specifically geocoordinates for crashes. It also wasn't reporting on crashes caused by speeding and distracted driving.

Yes, but: Vision Zero has made some impactful changes on Charlotte's street since the program was adopted in 2019.

• With program funding generated from transportation bonds, from 2021 to 2023, the city put up 22 pedestrian hybrid beacons , the three lights above a crosswalk, and 19 rectangular rapid flashing beacons , the blinking lights under a walking sign.
• It constructed 40 miles of sidewalks and 29 miles of bike lanes and installed 4,600 streetlights and 69 speed cushions, according to the city's latest update on the Vision Zero Action Plan.
• CDOT also reduced speed limits on 275 streets.

Zoom out: Vision Zero, a program adopted in cities across the U.S., isn't impossible. Hoboken, New Jersey, has gone seven years without a traffic death. It's considered the national model for Vision Zero. But its population is almost 60,000, compared to Charlotte's nearly 900,000.

The bottom line: It'd be difficult to predict when, if ever, Charlotte will get to zero amid all its growth. The city doesn't have a target date, either.

What's next: There are no plans for staff to speak to city council about the audit, but CDOT and CMPD are working on addressing the gaps.

• The city is hosting its third Mobility Safety Fest at Five Points Plaza this Saturday, Aug. 24, from 11am to 4pm. There will be beer goggles to try on and food from Jersey Mike's, Dave's Hot Chicken and Shake Shack.