Blumenthal & Schakowsky Introduce Resolution to End Roadway Fatalities & Improve Traffic Safety

[WASHINGTON, DC] — Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) reintroduced the Road to Zero resolution to reduce traffic fatalities and improve roadway safety for drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and others on the road. The resolution aims to end roadway fatalities by 2050 by improving data collection and promoting access to safe, reliable transportation. “Road to zero is reachable and responsible,” said Blumenthal. “Roads must be made safer for all—pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as car users. Improved technology and increased investment provide the opportunity—and imperative—to cut road tragedies.” “I’ve seen the devastating impact that car crashes and unsafe vehicles have on families and communities, and it is simply unacceptable that so many lives are still being lost on our roadways,” said Schakowsky. “By reintroducing the Road to Zero resolution, we are reaffirming our commitment to safer streets and a future where no one has to fear losing a loved one on the road. We can and must do better to make our streets safer for drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists, and we remain committed to working toward ending these unnecessary traffic deaths and injuries by 2050.” The Road to Zero resolution highlights the troubling number of traffic fatalities and crashes in the United States, with many of the deaths resulting from distracted and alcohol-impaired driving. The resolution also notes the deep history of inequality in the United States’ transportation systems, as crashes have a disproportionate impact on people of color and low-income communities. Citing the success of seatbelts, speed limits, and other technology in preventing injuries and fatalities, the measure encourages federal agencies to implement interventions and improve data collection to prevent crashes. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shown a steady decline in traffic fatalities since the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which included historic funding for transportation safety and the Safe Streets and Roads for All grants to address high-crash areas. While nearly 37,000 people lost their lives to traffic crashes in 2025, NHTSA’s data shows a 6.7 percent decline in fatalities compared to the previous year. The Road to Zero resolution seeks to build on this progress and achieve zero roadway fatalities by the year 2050. The resolution is endorsed by the National Safety Council, Consumer Reports, Vision Zero Network, and Families for Safe Streets. “For a decade, the Road to Zero Coalition and its 2,000 members have strived to push forward the policies, strategies and technologies that can help eliminate preventable roadway deaths and injuries in our lifetime,” said Lorraine Martin, National Safety Council CEO and Chair of the Road to Zero Coalition. “The Road to Zero Resolution aligns national efforts and echoes the Coalition’s goal of reaching zero roadway deaths by 2050. We applaud Senator Blumenthal for reintroducing this important resolution and urge continued support for sound road safety policies. We cannot afford to lose momentum in the effort to end roadway fatalities – lives depend on it.” “Every person in America benefits when we improve road safety, because we all deserve to move about our communities safely,” said Leah Shahum, founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit Vision Zero Network. “Federal leaders can support and empower local communities working to make their streets, sidewalks and bikeways safe for every road user, regardless of their age, income or background. By using a data-informed approach and scaling up proven strategies, such as Complete Streets designs and speed limits based on safety needs, we can prevent tragedies on our roads.” “Traffic deaths are never just statistics. Each one represents a family in grief and a community that is deeply affected. It has been more than a decade since I lost my 12-year-old son, Sammy, as he was simply trying to get from school to soccer practice. No child making that trip should ever be at risk,” said Amy Cohen, Founder and President of Families for Safe Streets. “Across FSS, every member has either lost a loved one or lives with a life-changing injury. We are grateful to Senator Blumenthal for calling on the United States to commit to Zero Traffic Deaths. A safety-first approach to transportation policy is essential if we want to prevent others from experiencing the pain we have endured. The United States remains an outlier. While peer countries have made sustained progress in reducing roadway deaths over the past decade, the U.S. trend has moved in the opposite direction. Canada and Australia have both reduced roadway deaths over the past decade, and Japan has cut fatalities by more than half over the longer term. Meanwhile, the United States has seen traffic deaths rise by roughly 30 percent in the same period. Our roads and vehicles are among the most dangerous in the industrialized world, and the situation is still worsening. Every single day, well over 100 people are killed, and thousands more are injured in traffic crashes. This is a preventable crisis, and we have the tools to end it.” The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-MN), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and U.S. Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Grace Meng (D-NY), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Chuy García (D-IL), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). The text of the Senate resolution can be found here . -30-