San Francisco’s Vision Zero SF Injury Prevention Research (VZIPR) Collaborative is a coordinated effort between epidemiologists, trauma surgeons, nurses, geospatial analysts and other key staff from the San Francisco Department of Public Health(SFDPH) and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (ZSFG). ZSFG is the City’s only Level I Trauma Center and so caters to almost all the serious injuries that occur in San Francisco. VZIPR has been working since 2014 to develop, institutionalize and utilize comprehensive injury data in support of strategic research and analyses for Vision Zero SF– San Francisco’s policy and commitment to eliminate traffic deaths on city streets. SFDPH co-chairs San Francisco’s Vision Zero Task Force with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

VZIPR’s efforts have resulted in a comprehensive Transportation-related Injury Surveillance System (TISS)linking hospital, police, emergency response and other data for more accurate, coordinated and timely monitoring of transportation-related injuries and deaths. In turn, these data support safety project prioritization, evaluation and monitoring. A pilot of the system linking 2013-2015 data was completed in early 2017 and is now being utilized to inform targeted Vision Zero efforts. San Francisco was the first city in the country to use the linked and mapped data to update its Vision Zero High Injury Network. The network identifies high injury corridors - the 13% of city streets where 75% of severe and fatal injuries are concentrated - where targeted Vision Zero investments can help save lives and reduce severe injuries.

VZIPR works closely with City agencies and community stakeholders to identify and address emerging research needs in support of Vision Zero SF.  Recent projects by VZIPR include an analysis of injuries to seniors and people with disabilities that is helping inform proactive injury improvements for those vulnerable populations; an analysis of the medical costs of transportation-related injury in San Francisco currently under peer review; and a predictive model of cyclist injuries at intersections, developed using machine learning and regression techniques, also under peer review.  Current VZIPR efforts to implement data systems to better track injuries from emerging mobility modes – such as powered scooters – were recently covered by the New York Times.

Recent Publications

For more information

Shamsi Soltani
Vision Zero Epidemiologist, SFDPH
[email protected]

Rebecca Plevin, MD
Assistant Professor in Residence, Department of Surgery
Trauma & Surgical Critical Care
Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
University of California San Francisco
[email protected]