Building Safer Roads: The Safe System Approach

In 1997, to address climbing rates of traffic-related deaths and injuries, Sweden created a Vision Zero philosophy for roadway safety. The concept provided a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all.

Vision Zero was a shift in mindset and approach to roadway safety and inspired countries around the world to follow suit. Recently, the Federal Highway Administration (FWHA) adopted its own zero deaths vision and a Safe System Approach to achieving the goal of eliminating fatalities and serious injuries for all road users. This paper provides an overview of the Safe System Approach and the steps your agency can take to design safer roads.