Vision Zero for Youth U.S. Leadership Award

 

The Vision Zero for Youth U.S. Leadership Award recognizes places that are taking bold steps to stop severe injuries and deaths among child and youth pedestrians and bicyclists. The award aims to highlight noteworthy practices and inspire other communities to take action.

Application period is now closed.

The winner will be announced in Spring 2025.

Now in its eighth year, the Vision Zero for Youth U.S. Leadership Award is given annually by the National Center for Safe Routes to School in partnership with the FIA Foundation and the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center.

Eligibility

• All communities are eligible. Communities include counties, cities, Tribal governments, towns, townships, boroughs and villages. Please email info@visionzeroforyouth.org with any questions about eligibility.
• Applications may be submitted by the intended recipient or nominated by an outside individual or organization.
• Local government Vision Zero commitment is not required.
• Communities of any population size are eligible for the award.
• Efforts to advance child and youth pedestrian safety must benefit one or more disinvested areas.

Criteria and selection

Note: Applicants do not need to have action or success in all bulleted items in order to be selected for the award.

Accomplishments – 10 points

• Accessible infrastructure improvements to calm traffic, improve crossings, and/or provide safe spaces for youth walking, biking, or rolling.
• Establishment of policies that benefit youth pedestrians or bicyclists such as a neighborhood traffic calming program, prioritized list of schools for improvements, school zone camera program or something else.
• Evidence of progress (such as reductions in deaths and severe injuries; reduction in vehicle speeds; increases in walking and biking; implementation of proven safety countermeasures).
• Adopted Vision Zero, Safety Action plan or other plan(s) that targets safety issues for children and youth with strategies beyond education.

Community Involvement – 10 points

• Partnerships with school districts, other departments within the same agency, State departments of transportation, local organizations, community members, elected officials, youth groups and advocates.
• Evidence of neighborhood involvement (such as work with the community to create support for traffic calming measures that began with a focus on child pedestrians and/or bicyclists).
• Evidence of support from local government, elected officials, or other leaders and decision makers for youth pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

Approach – 10 points

• Implementation of proven strategies and countermeasures.
• Proactive identification of places that have the greatest risk of crashes and prioritizing resources to those places.
• Focus on built environment and not just youth education.
• Evidence of long-term commitment.

These elements all align with a Safe System approach.

Contact

We welcome your questions to info@visionzeroforyouth.org