Barbara Friedes was riding a bike on July 17 and was hit by a speeding Volkswagen so hard that she flew around 20 feet. That's the length of four park benches. The same day, a man was struck and killed while standing on a corner.

Almost 30 people have been killed while riding bikes in Philadelphia since 2019. Last year, pedestrian hit-and-run fatalities climbed to 118 people, an all-time peak.

Mayor Cherelle Parker's statement about this angered me a great deal. She suggests that the solution is speed cameras. Speed cameras are not a panacea, and in fact, can do more harm than good. Some motorists drive erratically near speed cameras, which can increase collisions. Nor does a speed camera prevent accidents like the one that killed Friedes. The camera doesn't protect bike riders or pedestrians when a car goes out of control.

Several solutions-oriented policymakers have stated that these fatalities are avoidable by investing in Vision Zero. Vision Zero shifts the ultimate responsibility for road safety from the individual to the designer of the transportation system, while individuals are responsible for following the law. Sweden cut the number of road accident fatalities in half with Vision Zero, even with increased traffic on the roads. In New York, fatalities are down, and $90 million in health care costs were saved over a five-year span.

Meanwhile, our mayor has slashed the budget for Vision Zero by 60%. This decision may have cost several people their lives. My ask of you is to contact your district councilmember and tell them to fully fund Vision Zero to make streets safer for everyone – pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike.

Jayson Massey

Nicetown