Arizona has had a significant increase in traffic deaths over the past 10 years or so… where deaths were around 800/yr in the period 2010-2014; they had increased to nearly 1,000 pre-pandemic (2019). Deaths spiked in 2020 and again 2021 with various pandemic-related excuses. Deaths in 2023 stand at 1307. So a 60% increase, far outstripping population growth. Details at [1]

Relative increases were highest for bicyclists and pedestrians, but most of the deaths continue to be motorists. All the while vehicles themselves got dramatically safer for their occupants. (these figures are not adjusted, but there hasn’t been a pop increase of anywhere near 60%).

Arizona Republican state legislators believe they have found the answer to the United States’ [2], and presumably Arizona’s, lagging safety performance, enter  SCM1002 “Urging the president and congress of the United States to eliminate the Vision Zero approach to transportation planning”… though the SCM does not explain how Sweden (and every other developed country in the world) has significantly better traffic stats than the US in general, and Arizona in particular.

Might VZ be responsible for Arizona’s dramatic increase in fatalities? Well, the SCM doesn’t exactly say one way or the other. One thing I can tell you with certainty is that little-to-no VZ projects have ever been completed in Arizona; and the deaths keep going up.

What about those Gas Stoves?

An SCM is a “senate concurring memorial”; it is wholly symbolic, but it does go to show where their political minds are.

Unsurprisingly, the SCM passed both the Republican controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate. The Governor has nothing to do with it (it’s not a law), it’s just symbolic; akin to a Proclamation. Over at the UPP, it was pointed out that “What We’re Laughing At– In an attempt to mischaracterize Vision Zero, the bill’s sponsor, Senator Werner (Carrie Werner, R-Scottsdale) also made an unrelated claim, stating that ‘Vision Zero is also trying to take your gas stove away.'[3] This assertion is entirely unfounded”.

OMG — if you care about traffic safety — that’s what you’re up against.

In case you hadn’t heard, traffic safety has somehow become a topic of the Culture Warriors.

For those of you who have objected that azbikelaw has become politicized — I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t make this stuff up. GAS STOVES. I wish I had never even heard about Werner’s gas stove – VZ comment.

This, of course, wouldn’t be the first time that politicians have taken  to hyperbole about VZ, when it was discussed in 2019 at the City of Phoenix, Councilman Sal Diciccio claimed the plan was for 15mph speed limits throughout the city and would lead to a “doubling” of taxes… but at least speed limits, unlike gas stoves, have something to do with it!

References

[1] See this google sheet for Arizona’s traffic stat since 2009; figures from ADOT Traffic Crash Stats.

[2] US vs. other developed countries stats: Forbes: carnage-on-worlds-roads-drops-slightly-but-us-is-an-outlier

[3] Sen Werner’s remarks, Senate Public Safety Committee Feb 19, 2025:  “…and I know that we’re protected here in Arizona, for now, but Vision Zero is also trying to take your gas stove away, and I’m not going to part with my gas stove. So that is why I decided to sponsor this bill…”