In Tampa Bay, crossing the street shouldn't be a life-or-death decision. But for far too many families, it has been. Every year, over 100 pedestrians are killed in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties alone—many of them doing nothing more than walking in a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, or across a local street. They are teachers, grandparents, teenagers, and parents. They are our neighbors. And they are dying because of preventable failures in how our streets are designed, policed, and prioritized.

We are calling on the Mayors of Tampa and St. Petersburg, along with the Hillsborough and Pinellas County Commissions, to adopt a formal Vision Zero plan—a bold, measurable commitment to eliminate traffic deaths in our region. This means a coordinated, data-driven strategy across city and county lines, focused on the proven pillars of education, engineering, enforcement, and evaluation.

This isn’t just theory. Jersey City, with more residents than St. Petersburg, had zero pedestrian deaths on city-controlled streets in 2023. New York City’s speed camera zones saw a 55% drop in fatalities. Tampa Bay can follow that lead—if our leaders choose action over excuses.

Vision Zero means safer street design, lower speed limits where people walk, better driver education, smarter enforcement of distracted and reckless driving laws, and a cultural shift that prioritizes lives over convenience. It means acknowledging that the status quo is killing people—and refusing to accept that any longer.

We urge our local elected officials to take immediate steps to launch a regional Vision Zero plan. We want a future where no family has to grieve a loved one lost to a speeding driver, a dark crosswalk, or a missed stoplight. Safer streets are possible. But we have to choose them.

Sign now to demand that Tampa Bay join the growing list of communities committed to pedestrian safety.