A Decade of Vision Zero: Austin’s Efforts to Reduce Traffic Fatalities

Over the past ten years, Austin has pursued an ambitious effort to eliminate traffic-related deaths and injuries through its Vision Zero initiative. Adopted in 2015, the program focuses on engineering, enforcement, and education to improve roadway safety.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), no day has passed without a traffic fatality on Texas roads since November 7, 2000. Statewide, traffic deaths remain a daily occurrence, with state-managed roads accounting for a majority of fatal crashes in urban areas like Austin.

The City of Austin’s Vision Zero 10-Year Report outlines over $1.3 billion in safety and mobility investments since the initiative began. These investments, funded through voter-approved bonds, have supported infrastructure projects such as:

• Intersection redesigns
• Pedestrian and bicycle facilities
• Sidewalk upgrades
• Safe Routes to School treatments

As of 2024, Austin reports a significant drop in serious injuries and now holds the lowest per-capita rate of serious traffic injuries among Texas’ six largest cities.

Austin Transportation officials report a 38% average reduction in severe crashes at improved intersections. The city estimates approximately $481 million in annual crash-related cost savings, factoring in emergency services, medical expenses, property damage, and productivity losses.

Despite the efforts, the report shows that people of color and low-income communities experience serious and fatal traffic injuries more often. Black Austinites comprise 15% of those affected or killed, and people experiencing homelessness represent 40–60% of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities.

Additionally, enforcement challenges persist. Speeding citations have dropped sharply since 2015, and state laws limit Austin’s ability to implement speed cameras or modify speed limits independently.

Current city funding is projected to last through 2026. Officials are seeking continued support from regional, state, and federal partners to expand safety improvements across Austin’s more than 2,800 miles of roadway.

TxDOT has allocated $135 million for safety projects in the Austin area over the next four years, though differences in roadway design standards between the state and city remain a hurdle for fully aligning safety strategies.