Pedestrian advocate named president of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors

For Norman Yee, Vision Zero is Personal

Today, Walk SF celebrated the news that Supervisor Norman Yee will be the next president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Supervisor Yee has been an incredible partner with Walk SF, and we are thrilled he can champion pedestrian safety and accessibility in his new role.

For Supervisor Norman Yee, creating safe streets is deeply personal. Supervisor Yee nearly lost his life 12 years ago when he was hit by a car while crossing the street at 4th and Bryant. He also lost his grandfather to traffic violence.

“We need to get to Vision Zero quickly,” Yee said after an emotional speech at World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on November 18, 2018, surrounded by members of San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets. Yee has been a longtime supporter of Families for Safe Streets, a group of crash survivors and families whose loved ones have been severely injured or killed in crashes.

Vision Zero is the City’s goal to end all severe and fatal traffic crashes by 2024. Walk SF believes City agencies must act more aggressively to fix the known deadliest streets, as well as reduce speeds citywide in order to save lives.

Traffic fatalities went up in 2018 from 2017, and an estimated 500 people are severely injured in traffic crashes every year in our city.

Traffic safety on our streets is a public health crisis. Supervisor Yee already treats it as one. He has consistently worked to make streets safer for all, especially children, seniors, and people with disabilities. This includes getting telematics devices installed in the City vehicle fleet to ensure safe driving, and defending pedestrian space through his legislation limiting sidewalk delivery robots.

Congratulations, Supervisor Yee!

Banner image: William McLeod