By Strong Towns
Traffic safety is a major issue in many cities. Too many streets are designed for high speeds rather than for safety. This puts drivers at risk, not to mention people biking, walking or using mobility aids. Yet, when crashes occur, the response is often focused on enforcement — more policing, stricter penalties and harsher fines — while the fundamental issue of street design remains unaddressed.
In some places, the problem is so extreme that it leads to drag racing and stunt driving, turning local streets into dangerous speedways. This isn’t reckless behavior — it’s an extreme consequence of over-engineered roads that prioritize speed over safety. A recent debate in the South Dakota Legislature underscores how communities are grappling with this reality.
Lawmakers are considering Senate Bill 116B, which seeks to crack down on illegal street racing. Senator Sue Peterson, Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken and other officials are pushing for tougher laws to curb the growing problem, including increasing penalties, revoking licenses and imposing civil fines.
But let’s be serious: If people are drag racing on your streets, your streets are designed wrong.
No complex street — where there are homes, businesses and human life — should facilitate high speeds, whether legal or not. Wide, straight, overbuilt roads encourage reckless driving. Engineers call these “improvements,” but in reality, they make streets more dangerous by prioritizing vehicle speed over safety. The result? Cities that function like race tracks instead of places for people.
Rather than relying on law enforcement alone, cities must redesign streets to make reckless driving difficult and safe speeds the norm. Strong Towns has developed resources to help leaders shift their approach to traffic safety.
If you’re an elected official facing pressure to “do something” about dangerous driving, don’t default to expensive enforcement strategies. Get a copy of “Confessions of a Recovering Engineer” to understand how street design creates traffic problems. Download the “Beyond Blame” report to learn how to realign your city staff around safety and start making real changes.
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Previously Published on strongtowns.org with Creative Commons License
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