There is a choice: compliance protected by sovereign immunity (11,200 serious injuries per million) — or accountability to juries (3.7 per million at theme parks). See the full Two Systems comparison →
Lip-servicing the safety of children, violating the US Constitution since 1916, US city governments prioritized fast for cars.
Stop killing children on streets — apply the judgment of juries:
- Remove sovereign immunity for complying to DOT standards.
- Apply liability in jury trials using the 3,000 times better safety record of theme parks.
Restore liberty to innovate, adopt 5x5 Freemarket and roadkills can be reduced 60% in 3 years. The Netherlands provides a 39 year example of how to cut roadkill of children 97%.
STOP DE KINDERMOORD — STOP THE CHILD MURDER
In 1971, ~450 children were killed on roads in the Netherlands sparking "STOP DE KINDERMOORD" — STOP THE CHILD MURDER.
Dutch cities reduced killing children by 97%.
US city councils vote policies that keep killing children.
What the Dutch Did
Parents and children occupied accident blackspots. Streets were closed so children could play safely. Thousands laid down with their bicycles outside the Rijksmuseum, pretending to be dead. They cycled with an organ to Prime Minister den Uyl's house, singing songs demanding safer streets. The government listened. Child road deaths fell from 450 in 1971 to 14 in 2010 — a 97% reduction.
Sources:
Streetsblog ·
The Guardian ·
BBC ·
London Cycling Campaign ·
Dutch Reach Project ·
Halifax Examiner ·
Medium ·
EJ Atlas ·
Palo Alto Safe Routes to School
Note: Sources report ~400 to ~500 children killed in 1971. Total road deaths were 3,300. We use ~450 per Streetsblog/Dutch Reach Project. The 97% reduction to 14 in 2010 is consistent across all sources.
What America Did
Nothing. The same year, America had similar per-capita roadkill rates to the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark. All four nations shared the same car-centric policies. After the 1973 Oil Embargo, Europe changed course. America doubled down on highways, borrowed trillions for foreign oil, and fought oil wars. Today, the U.S. pedestrian death rate is 4× higher than the Netherlands.
It took the Dutch 39 years of policy changes to gradually reduce roadkills of children by 97%, to 14 in 2010. City Councils in the US compounded the problem making roads faster for cars and more unsafe for children.
The Divergence
Same starting point in 1973. Radically different outcomes. Per-capita oil use diverged by 60%. Pedestrian and cyclist death rates diverged by 400%.
Sweden & Denmark vs US
death rate in US
by car
— walkable or bikeable
Roadkills in a city result from choices of its city council. We have known the solution is PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) since 1972.
Morgantown PRT: 0 serious injuries in 54 years. 150 million+ trips. The technology is proven. Full evidence: vetoes, oil quotes, Congressional study, Morgantown →
Tools
MeshMobililty.com provides maps showing roadkills in US cities. Anyone can use this tool to design a modern version of the Morgantown PRT. Modern podcar networks can cut roadkills in cities by 40-80% in 3 years.