INTERNATIONAL POLICY DIGEST

Decades of car-centric U.S. road policy have made American streets some of the deadliest in the developed world, but safer, more inclusive alternatives are both possible and proven abroad.

What if the very layout of our streets is helping fuel a nationwide safety crisis? Across the United States, fatalities among pedestrians and cyclists are climbing, even as cities remain built around fast-moving traffic and private cars.

This crisis is not the result of isolated personal choices. It’s a systemic failure, born from decades of policies that placed the automobile at the center of urban life. Planning decisions have created environments where walking is dangerous, and public transit is often an afterthought. To reverse course, we must confront how design decisions have contributed to deadly outcomes—and what it will take to rectify them.

The Roots of Car-Centric Planning

After World War II, American cities shifted their focus toward car-centric planning. Fueled by the 1956 Federal-Aid Highway Act, massive investments in interstate highways accelerated suburban sprawl and contributed to the decline of cities.

Public transit systems were dismantled or allowed to decay. Instead of fostering walkability or human-scale neighborhoods, urban planning focused on ease of car travel and the availability of parking. Zoning laws separated residential, commercial, and industrial spaces—forcing most people to rely on cars for nearly every aspect of daily life.

Highway projects often bulldozed through entire communities, upending lives and fracturing cities. But the legacy was more than social and environmental destruction. It left behind landscapes actively hostile to anyone traveling outside the confines of a car.

The Toll We Pay Today: Rising Fatalities and Uneven Risk

In the last decade, deaths among pedestrians and cyclists have soared—even as the interiors of vehicles have become safer. The COVID-19 pandemic made things worse, with traffic fatalities spiking and remaining stubbornly high.

Those on foot or by bike now make up a growing share of traffic fatalities, especially in urban areas where wide, fast roads are poorly designed for pedestrian traffic. The victims tend to be society’s most vulnerable: schoolchildren, the elderly, and low-income individuals who rely on transit or walk out of necessity.

Basic safety infrastructure—such as sidewalks, lighting, and protected bike lanes—is often lacking in these communities. In such environments, legal recourse through a car accident lawyer may be one of the only avenues available for victims seeking justice and restitution.

Cities That Design for People, Not Just Cars

While U.S. cities double down on automotive infrastructure, cities in Western Europe and parts of Asia have taken the opposite approach—putting pedestrians at the heart of urban planning.

These cities design streets to be shared or even car-free, with integrated networks for cycling, walking, and public transit. Narrower roads, slower speed limits, and traffic-calming measures are commonplace.

Transit-oriented development has also reduced the need for personal vehicles by clustering housing, retail, and transport hubs within walkable distances. Efficient and reliable public transit makes it easy to get around without needing to drive.

The results are unmistakable: fewer pedestrian deaths, cleaner air, and livelier public spaces. These global cities prove that safer, more inclusive urban environments are not aspirational—they already exist.

Why Car Culture Still Rules U.S. Streets

If safer alternatives are available, why does America remain stuck in car-first thinking? The answer lies in a potent mix of politics, economics, and deeply embedded cultural narratives.

Decades of investment in highway construction created a cycle of car dependency. More roads led to more cars, which in turn justified the construction of even more roads. Federal and state budgets remain tilted toward car infrastructure, starving transit, pedestrian, and cycling projects of meaningful support.

The car itself holds symbolic weight in American culture. It signifies freedom, independence, and even identity. These associations persist, even as gridlock, gas prices, and rising deaths call that mythology into question.

Meanwhile, transportation planning still relies on outdated metrics—such as the number of vehicles a road can move per hour—rather than how safely and efficiently people of all modes can get where they need to go.

What Policymakers Can—and Must—Do

To make streets safer, policymakers don’t need to reinvent the wheel. But they do need to shift course with conviction.

Today’s funding overwhelmingly favors road expansion and vehicle infrastructure. To correct this, budgets must prioritize multimodal systems that serve everyone—not just drivers.

Investments in protected bike lanes, illuminated sidewalks, and accessible public transportation have already proven effective in reducing fatalities and expanding opportunities, especially in underserved areas. The goal isn’t to eliminate roads, but to build a more inclusive and balanced network of mobility options.

Reform Zoning and Land Use

Single-use zoning laws have led to sprawling communities where driving is the primary mode of transportation. Reforming these codes to allow mixed-use development brings essential services closer to where people live, work, and study.

Walkable neighborhoods don’t just reduce car reliance—they lower traffic volumes and speeds, making streets safer by design. Compact, transit-friendly development creates more vibrant communities with greater access and mobility for all.

Redesign Streets for Safety

Small design changes can yield big safety improvements. Road diets, narrower lanes, speed humps, raised crosswalks, and curb extensions all help calm traffic and reduce the severity of crashes.

These interventions are especially vital in high-foot-traffic areas—near schools, parks, and transit hubs. Instead of placing the burden on individual drivers to behave perfectly, these designs reshape the environment to make safe behavior the default.

Tie Funding to Measurable Outcomes

Public dollars should be tied to results. Agencies receiving transportation funds must track safety data—pedestrian injuries, deaths, near misses—and demonstrate progress.

This performance-based approach encourages data-driven decision-making and aligns spending with what improves safety and effectiveness. When money follows outcomes, safety becomes non-negotiable.

Rethinking Freedom in the Age of the Car

In America, the car is often cast as a vessel of freedom. But true freedom means having safe, reliable choices—not just one dominant, dangerous mode.

Walkable neighborhoods, functional transit, and bike infrastructure offer independence to seniors, kids, people with disabilities, and anyone who can’t or doesn’t want to drive. Rethinking cities around people—not just vehicles—brings broader rewards: less traffic, cleaner air, stronger local economies, and healthier lives.

This isn’t about banning cars. It’s about reimagining their place in a modern, inclusive transportation ecosystem. With vision and willpower, American cities can evolve—toward safety, equity, and livability.

Conclusion

Reducing road deaths isn’t just a matter of better cars or stricter enforcement. It requires a fundamental reimagining of how cities are planned and who they serve.

Prioritizing walkability, transit, and human-centered street design can save lives and expand access—for everyone, not just those behind the wheel. Cities abroad offer a roadmap. The longer we cling to outdated car-centric policies, the longer our streets will remain deadly—and the more people will be left behind.