Keynote speaker and investigative journalist Jessie Singer, author of “There Are No Accidents,” addressed the alarming increase in traffic fatalities, highlighting how society often concentrates on personal mistakes instead of the inadequate road conditions that contribute to accidents. “I want to debunk the idea that traffic crashes are the result of human error,” she stated, asserting that faulty road design that encourages speeding is a primary factor. Singer emphasized that the automobile industry has largely evaded responsibility and has benefited from a societal tendency to blame victims, rather than addressing unsafe roadways and oversized vehicles that contribute to fatalities.
She argued for a shift in perspective, urging that streets should be designed to reduce harm when drivers make inevitable mistakes. “If you make this world safe for drunks, you make it safe for everybody,” she cited Dr. Susan Baker.
Singer criticized the auto industry for coining terms like “jaywalker” and “the nut behind the wheel” to shift blame onto pedestrians and drivers, rather than focusing on issues like poor vehicle design and inadequate infrastructure. She garnered applause when she mentioned that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced its intention to regulate vehicle safety with an emphasis on dangers to pedestrians.