The U.S. wants to eliminate traffic fatalities. Here's how.

Car crash fatalities are up 24% over the last 10 years, with more than 40,000 deaths on U.S. roads in 2023. And drivers aren't the only ones impacted: Pedestrian deaths reached a 40-year high of 7,522 in 2022, putting vulnerable road users at greater risk than ever before.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a plan to reduce those fatalities to what they call the "only acceptable number": zero.

The department’s solution? A national deployment plan for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, a wireless communication tool that can transmit critical information like speed, location, and road conditions between vehicles and surrounding infrastructure.

But while the technology has been around for decades, V2X hasn’t been widely adopted in the U.S. The DOT’s roadmap outlines a goal to have 75% of the nation’s intersections equipped with V2X technology in about 12 years. Despite this, no cost estimates have been provided for the rollout, and significant challenges remain in the path to implementation.

The case for V2X

At its core, V2X is designed to improve road safety by allowing vehicles to communicate with one another and with nearby infrastructure, including traffic lights, road signs, and even pedestrians. By sharing real-time data, V2X systems extend a car's perception beyond what cameras or sensors can achieve alone. The benefits are particularly valuable in low-visibility conditions or when a driver’s view is obstructed, such as when approaching sharp corners or during heavy rain.

According to John Kwant, executive director of the Americas for the 5G Automotive Association, V2X is one of the best technologies for reducing road fatalities. “It’s ready, it’s tested. It just has to be deployed,” he said. Proponents of V2X argue that with the right infrastructure, the system could significantly decrease the number of accidents on U.S. roads.

The system is already making strides in other parts of the world. In Brno, the Czech Republic’s second-largest city, V2X technology has been integrated into hundreds of public transportation vehicles and emergency response vehicles since 2018. The technology enables traffic lights to prioritize emergency vehicles, clearing a faster path during critical moments.

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The challenge of widespread adoption

Despite its promise, V2X technology faces numerous hurdles to widespread adoption in the U.S. One of the main challenges is the "chicken and egg" problem: automakers are hesitant to install V2X technology in vehicles when the infrastructure to support it doesn’t yet exist, while local governments and transportation authorities are slow to adopt the infrastructure when few vehicles are equipped to use it.

James Hodgson, a smart mobility analyst and research director at ABI Research in Northampton, England, estimates that for V2X to work effectively, about 70% of vehicles on the road need to be equipped with the technology to have a 50% chance of communicating with other vehicles or infrastructure. But with so few vehicles currently equipped, the market has been slow to take off.

Will a series of pilot programs help V2X takeoff?

The DOT is attempting to address this installation problem with a series of pilot programs. The department is funding three $20 million projects in greater Houston, Phoenix, and Utah’s I-80 corridor to test V2X systems. These programs fall under a broader $200 million federal grant effort aimed at promoting connected streets, a key part of the government’s road safety strategy.

While these pilot programs are a step in the right direction, it will take time for automakers and municipalities to embrace V2X on a larger scale. As the technology develops, the U.S. will need to make substantial investments in infrastructure to support the program’s long-term success.

A holistic approach to road safety

While V2X is seen as a critical tool for reducing traffic fatalities, it isn’t the only solution. The DOT, led by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, is adopting a comprehensive “safe system” approach, which looks at the design of roads, vehicles, and speeds, along with post-crash medical care.

This holistic view of traffic safety acknowledges that human behavior will always play a role in accidents and focuses on creating an environment where mistakes don’t have deadly consequences.

One such measure is the introduction of “road diets,” which involve narrowing or eliminating traffic lanes, lowering speed limits, and adding features like speed bumps or roundabouts to slow down vehicles. These improvements have been shown to reduce traffic accidents and make roads safer for all users, especially pedestrians and cyclists.

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Cities are already seeing improvement in traffic safety

After two teenagers were killed while biking in a Washington, D.C.-area suburb, the local government replaced two lanes of traffic with a separated bike lane and buffer. Early assessments found that the change not only increased the number of cyclists but also reduced accidents, injuries, and fatalities on that stretch of road.

Other cities are making similar improvements. Bogota, Colombia, saw traffic fatalities drop after lowering its citywide speed limit to 31 miles per hour (50 kilometers per hour). Singapore has also combined lower speed limits with narrower lanes and pedestrian-friendly intersections to make streets safer, particularly for older residents.

Final thoughts

The U.S. has set an ambitious goal: zero traffic fatalities. V2X technology could play a significant role in achieving that, but it won’t be the only factor. By combining high-tech solutions like V2X with low-tech, proven road design changes, the U.S. can begin to reverse the alarming rise in traffic deaths.

The next 12 years will be critical in determining whether the U.S. can deliver on its promise of safer roads for all.

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