Restrictions on motor vehicle use
  Better traffic education of both motorists and non-motorists
  Stricter enforcement of traffic regulations protecting pedestrians and bicyclists

There is no good reason why the United States could not adopt many of the same measures. The lack of funding certainly cannot be a legitimate excuse. If The Netherlands and Germany can afford them, so can the United States. Moreover, the necessary technology and methods are already available, with decades of successful experience in Europe. Americans need only travel to European cities to see first-hand that safe walking and cycling are possible.

The real problem in the United States is lack of willingness to do anything that infringes on the prerogatives of motor vehicle users. With over 90% of trips here made by private motor vehicles, there is limited political support for any policies that would inconvenience motorists. Comprehensive traffic calming, ubiquitous bike lanes, stringent speed restrictions, and strict enforcement of pedestrian right of way at crosswalks might evoke considerable opposition from a majority of voters and politicians. Motorists have no objections to off-road bike paths for recreational cycling, but that is because they do not interfere with car traffic on roads. By comparison, motorists object vehemently to road narrowing for wider sidewalks or bike lanes. Unless they are cheap and do not inconvenience motorists, most safety measures have little chance of implementation in the current environment.

Attitudes must change. The American public must be educated about the severity of the pedestrian and bicyclist crash problem and the urgent need to deal with it. The safety issue must be brought home. The neglect of nonmotorist safety not only risks the injury and death of family and friends who walk and bicycle, but it also deprives everyone of valuable exercise, mobility options, independence, and even fun. It is important to package and market safety-enhancing policies in a way that dramatizes their benefits to everyone. Instead of being viewed as punitive measures aimed against motorists, they should be presented as new opportunities for all segments of the population. That is pre