Toward a Rural Vision Zero: A Qualitative Exploration of Bicyclist and Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities in Small-Town and Rural Nebraska

Walking and bicycling are dangerous activities in small-town and rural America. People walking or bicycling (socalled vulnerable road users, or VRUs, are at greater risk of death in rural communities than in cities. But research is lacking to understand the specific dangers facing VRUs in rural settings, and how to best address these dangers. This research questions the assumption that some (or most) fatal car-on-VRU crashes in rural areas are accidental events in which no one is at fault (rather than crashes in which blame can be assigned) and seeks to understand how rural communities can become safer for walking and bicycling. In recent years, “Vision Zero,” the movement to eliminate all traffic fatalities, has gained traction internationally and in many US cities. This movement emphasizes an approach to safety in which all traffic fatalities can be avoided through a combination of planning, policy, and engineering. But Vision Zero is primarily an urban movement and has not generally been pursued in rural communities. In this study we use a combination of fatal crash records from rural areas in the state of Nebraska from 2008 to 2019 and their associated legal filings, as well as contemporaneous news sources, to develop an understanding of VRU fatalities in rural communities. We then establish a research and policy agenda to guide the creation of a “Rural Vision Zero” movement.