INDIANAPOLIS – A task force has formally adopted an action plan aimed at ending traffic deaths in Indianapolis. “Vision Zero” has been in the works since 2024, when the task force was first established. Members worked with consultants to develop a plan that was first revealed to the public in June 2025.Vision Zero aims to dramatically reduce the number of traffic deaths and serious injuries in Indianapolis, with the ultimate goal of eliminating all of them by 2035.
It involves five basic principles:
• Safe Roads: Maximizing safety for all through street designs and policies
• Safe Speeds: Promoting safe speeds through outreach campaigns, context-appropriate road design and enforcement
• Safe People: Encouraging safe, responsible roads by shaping culture and emphasizing responsibility among drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, etc.
• Post Crash Care: Ensuring quick access to emergency aid after a crash and creating a safe work environment for first responders
• Safe Vehicles: Expanding the availability of vehicle systems that help prevent crashes
Pedestrian and cyclist deaths have been increasing dramatically since 2020, due to several factors, including high rates of speed, larger and taller vehicles that make it difficult to see pedestrians and bicycles, and poor road design. Other cities have implemented Vision Zero changes, including New York City, Boston, Seattle, and Washington D.C.