Families for Safe Streets: Giving a Face to the Traffic Violence Crisis
Nov 25, 2024
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Amy Cohen, co-founder and president of Families for Safe Streets, shares her journey from personal tragedy to advocacy for safer streets. They discuss how combining personal stories with data can drive impactful change. Cohen emphasizes transforming grief into proactive community action and highlights the urgent need to address traffic violence as a preventable epidemic. The conversation also covers the importance of supporting trauma survivors and engaging local advocates to foster collective efforts for safer roadways.
Personal stories, such as Amy Cohen's tragedy, are crucial in transforming the emotional impact of traffic violence into advocacy for safer streets.
Challenging the perception of traffic deaths as mere accidents emphasizes the urgency of policy changes to address this preventable crisis.
Deep dives
The Emotional Toll of Traffic Violence
A personal connection to traffic safety advocacy is often born from tragedy, illustrating the emotional toll that traffic violence takes on individuals and families. Amy Cohen's motivation stems from the heartbreaking loss of her son, who was struck by a vehicle while crossing the street. This devastating incident highlights how a seemingly mundane act can lead to fatal results, a reality that many parents face. By sharing her pain and engaging in advocacy, Cohen transforms her grief into a mission for change, emphasizing the importance of addressing not just the statistics but the human stories behind them.
Recognizing Traffic Violence as a Crisis
Traffic deaths should not be perceived as mere accidents; they reflect a preventable epidemic that demands urgent attention and action. Cohen argues that the terminology surrounding traffic incidents is crucial, as many view these deaths as accidents rather than a real crisis. The complacency towards traffic fatalities in many communities often leads to a lack of effective policy changes. Through advocacy, Cohen and her organization challenge the narrative, emphasizing that meaningful legislative action is needed to combat the rising rates of traffic violence across the nation.
The Power of Storytelling in Advocacy
Storytelling plays a pivotal role in advocating for change, helping to humanize the statistics associated with traffic violence. Sharing personal experiences not only connects advocates to policymakers but also helps to evoke empathy from the public. Amy Cohen's work with Families for Safe Streets illustrates how combining personal stories with data can effectively sway opinions and motivate action for policy changes. Encouraging individuals affected by traffic incidents to share their narratives amplifies the call for safer streets and can lead to significant improvements in community awareness and legislative support.
On this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck discusses safe streets advocacy with Amy Cohen, the co-founder and president of Families for Safe Streets. They cover the importance of using both data and personal stories to drive change, some of Families for Safe Streets’ recent initiatives, and advice for local advocates on how to support people who have lost loved ones to traffic violence.
See the additional notes for resources and support from Families for Safe Streets.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES
Personal stories can be a powerful driver of change. Families for Safe Streets’ Community Story Map collects these stories. They also offer a toolkit for using the map to bring awareness to traffic violence.
Families for Safe Streets offers support services for those affected by traffic violence. Click here to learn more.