San José Urges Drivers “Slow Down” in Face of Record Traffic Fatalities
New Safe Driving Campaign, “Slow Down, San José,” Officially Unveiled
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2023
Media Contact:
Tasha Dean, Chief Communications Officer, Office of Mayor Matt Mahan, [email protected]
SAN JOSÉ, CA - “Slow Down, San José” is the urgent request of a new safe driving campaign unveiled by City officials today. Mayor Matt Mahan, joined by councilmembers Pam Foley and Bien Doan, officially kicked off the new campaign along Tully Road, one of the city’s Priority Safety Corridors and site of an upcoming safety improvement project.
The behavior-change campaign will appear on billboards, posters, yard signs, buses and bus shelters, and digital ads. Videos will be shared online and radio ads will be broadcast in multiple languages. The straightforward goal: get drivers to realize they can take a simple step to become part of the solution to San José’s growing problem of traffic deaths.
“Speeding can save a minute, but slowing down can save a life,” said Mayor Matt Mahan. “With traffic deaths far outpacing homicides in San José, this new campaign reminds us that the safety of the community is in all our hands.”
“This safe driving campaign couldn’t come at a more crucial time in our city’s history,” said District 9 Councilmember Pam Foley, who chairs the City’s Vision Zero Task Force. “We lost 65 neighbors last year. Those tragedies leave families and friends with holes in their lives that can never be filled. It’s time we all took responsibility for our actions behind the wheel.”
“Traffic fatalities afflict my district more than any other in San José,” said District 7 Councilmember Bien Doan, who serves as vice chair of the Vision Zero Task Force. “I’m happy to see major safety improvement projects happening, like the Tully Road project coming this summer. But we don’t have to wait for construction to start to improve traffic safety. Let’s all slow down to protect our families.”
“Reducing and eliminating traffic fatalities is a top priority for the City administration, but we need the public’s help” said City Manager Jennifer Maguire. “While our Department of Transportation builds more safety improvements and our Police Department focuses on traffic safety hot spots, we need individuals to join us in tackling this urgent problem. We can all decide to slow down on the road and perhaps save a life.”
The campaign runs for three months. Materials are available at www.visionzerosj.org.
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About the City of San José
With more than one million residents, San José comprises the 10th largest city in the United States and one of its most diverse cities. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center in the heart of Silicon Valley has resulted in the world's greatest concentration of technology talent and development.
About the Department of Transportation
The San José Department of Transportation (DOT) plans, develops, operates, and maintains transportation facilities, services, and related systems that contribute to the livability and economic health of the city. Our goal is to provide a transportation system that is safe, efficient, and convenient for all modes of transportation, and which supports San José’s livability and economic vitality.