Young people are among those most at risk on our roads and among the best placed to fix them. VZYC equips students to shape the road safety policies that affect their lives, in their own communities.
About the Vision Zero Youth Council
The Vision Zero Youth Council was founded in New York City in December 2014, after three young people from the same middle school were killed in traffic crashes. Their deaths shook the entire community and students who had lost classmates came together with one goal: to make sure no other school had to grieve the same way.
We started small, holding monthly meetings at a local middle school to teach our peers about road safety data, how to travel safely, and how to speak up for change. Students mapped the streets around their schools and marked where they felt unsafe, turning their own experiences into evidence.
Soon, our voices reached beyond the classroom. We testified, rallied, and lobbied at City Hall and in Albany, and helped win two major changes to how New York protects people on its streets:
School-zone speed cameras. In 2019, New York expanded its speed camera program from 140 school zones to 750, with longer hours of operation. Our members gathered more than 600 petition signatures from high school students across the city in just three days, and we were credited with providing the youth voice that helped build public support.
Sammy's Law. We joined the long fight for Sammy's Law, named for Sammy Cohen Eckstein, a 12-year-old killed by a driver near his Brooklyn home in 2013. Passed in 2024, the law gave New York City the power to set its own speed limits, lowering them to 20 mph on individual streets.
What began in one New York neighborhood grew into a movement, with youth-led chapters across the U.S. and around the world, including in Manchester, UK and Kigali, Rwanda. We brought youth perspectives to national and international conversations about road safety and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and presented our work at high-level events like the 2020 Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, the 2024 Concordia Annual Summit, and multiple UN Summits.
After a pause, we're relaunching in 2026 with a stronger model built around student-led chapters, a youth executive board, and a sharper focus on influencing Vision Zero plans and policy. The mission hasn't changed: young people shouldn't just be the subject of road safety campaigns, they should help write the policies.
Our Story
VZYC founded in NYC
2014
First edition of our Vision Zero Youth Day flagship event
2017
Second edition of our Vision Zero Youth Day flagship event
2018
2019
School zone speed safety camera program expanded.
3rd Ministerial Conference on Road Safety & 2nd World Youth Assembly for Road Safety
Founding of the Kigali, Rwanda and Manchester, UK chapters
2020
2022
U.N. Transforming Education Summit
World Health Summit Regional Meeting
U.N. ECOSOC Youth Forum
U.N. SDG Summit
North America Youth Networking & Showcase
2023
Sammy’s Law passed in New York State
Concordia Annual Summit
Third edition of the Vision Zero Youth Day; SDG edition, sponsored by AmericaWalks
2024
VZYC Relaunch!
2026
Not just awareness: Influence
Many youth organizations focus on safe-driving education, and that work matters. VZYC focuses on the next step: bringing young people into the planning and policy decisions that determine how safe streets are in the first place. Along the way, members build real skills, professional networks, and careers in policy, planning, and advocacy.
Our Pillars
Meaningful Youth Engagement
Students have a real voice in Vision Zero plans and policy, not a token seat.
SDG 16.7: Inclusive, participatory decision making
Sustainable Cities
Streets that are safe, equitable, and built for everyone.
SDG 11.2: Transport systems for all
Partnerships
Working alongside cities, schools, and advocates to turn youth ideas into action.
SDG 17.17: Effective partnerships and resource sharing
Our Values
Youth Leadership
Nothing about us without us. Youth set the agenda, and adults support it.
Collaboration
We seek out and build relationships with partners inside and outside our organization to accelerate shared goals.
Inclusion
We lead with empathy, design opportunities and communication so everyone can listen actively and participate fully, and build safe spaces with regular feedback loops.
Stewardship
Our vision for the world starts with us. We care for the planet, build a diverse team, and prioritize the well-being of our people and the communities we serve.