D027 Addressing Traffic Fatalities
Traffic fatalities are an all too common and preventable cause for the loss of life, in the U.S. and worldwide. In 2021, drivers killed more pedestrians than in any year in the past forty years, with a 12% increase from the previous year, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Traffic crashes also have disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations. A 2022 study published by Harvard and Boston University found that Black pedestrians were twice as likely, per mile walked, to be killed than white pedestrians. Additionally, the rate of death of Black and American Indian children pedestrians is 1.8 times that of white children, and for Hispanic children, 1.2 times the rate of non-Hispanic children. Traffic fatalities are often concentrated in poorer neighborhoods, especially those in which safety measures have been neglected and underinvested. These disparities can be lessened through transportation policy and investment in safety improvements.
In our baptismal covenant we commit to striving for justice and peace among all people, regardless of whether they walk, cycle, or drive. Road safety is a shared responsibility of everyone that designs, builds, and uses roads and vehicles. We participate in transportation systems when we travel to do the work of the church and gather as congregations. As people of faith, we can be a voice to protect the vulnerable and recognize the dignity of life by calling for systemic changes to decrease traffic fatalities.
Note: this resolution and/or its explanation contains external references, such as URLs of websites, that may not be in the required languages of General Convention. Because of copyright restrictions, the General Convention cannot provide translations. However, your web browser may be able to provide a machine translation into another language. If you need assistance with this, please contact gc.support@episcopalchurch.org.
Explanation
Traffic fatalities are an all too common and preventable cause for the loss of life, in the U.S. and worldwide. In 2021, drivers killed more pedestrians than in any year in the past forty years, with a 12% increase from the previous year, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Traffic crashes also have disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations. A 2022 study published by Harvard and Boston University found that Black pedestrians were twice as likely, per mile walked, to be killed than white pedestrians. Additionally, the rate of death of Black and American Indian children pedestrians is 1.8 times that of white children, and for Hispanic children, 1.2 times the rate of non-Hispanic children. Traffic fatalities are often concentrated in poorer neighborhoods, especially those in which safety measures have been neglected and underinvested. These disparities can be lessened through transportation policy and investment in safety improvements.
In our baptismal covenant we commit to striving for justice and peace among all people, regardless of whether they walk, cycle, or drive. Road safety is a shared responsibility of everyone that designs, builds, and uses roads and vehicles. We participate in transportation systems when we travel to do the work of the church and gather as congregations. As people of faith, we can be a voice to protect the vulnerable and recognize the dignity of life by calling for systemic changes to decrease traffic fatalities.
Note: this resolution and/or its explanation contains external references, such as URLs of websites, that may not be in the required languages of General Convention. Because of copyright restrictions, the General Convention cannot provide translations. However, your web browser may be able to provide a machine translation into another language. If you need assistance with this, please contact gc.support@episcopalchurch.org.