The City of Sacramento, alongside state and local partners, is taking action to address one of the most dangerous problems on our roads — speeding.
At a press conference held at Phoebe A. Hearst Elementary School this week, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), California Highway Patrol (CHP), Sacramento Police Department, Department of Public Works and grassroots group Slow Down Sacramento gathered to launch the statewide “Slow the Fast Down” education campaign.
Timed with the return of students for the new school year, the campaign urges drivers to “slow the fast down” and “step off your gas” to keep children, families, and communities safe.
Driving at unsafe speeds remains a top contributor to severe and fatal crashes. The City of Sacramento is making safety improvements citywide as part of its Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
Projects along Folsom Boulevard between 48th and 65th streets — the site of multiple pedestrian and bicyclist crashes — will bring traffic-calming measures, buffered bike lanes, updated curb ramps, improved signals, and protected left turns.
“We are currently updating our Vision Zero Action Plan to reflect the latest data and community priorities, ensuring our strategies remain focused, equitable, and effective,” said City Traffic Engineer Megan Carter. “Through our new Transportation Safety Initiative, we’re accelerating street safety upgrades with quick-build projects to protect our most vulnerable road users. We’re proud to stand with our partners at the Office of Traffic Safety, Caltrans, CHP, Sacramento Police Department, and community advocates in a united effort to reduce speeding and protect our communities.”
The Sacramento Police Department recently received a $400,000 OTS grant to support ongoing enforcement and education efforts targeting the most dangerous driving behaviors, including speeding, street racing and sideshows.
“We are here to keep the community safe and hold people who drive dangerously and recklessly accountable for their actions,” said Sacramento Police Department Sgt. Ken Collier. “By focusing on high-risk areas where speeding is a problem, we aim to reduce all dangerous driving behaviors, prevent crashes, and make our roads safer for everyone.”
This month also marks the second anniversary of Slow Down Sacramento, a local grassroots organization advocating for safer streets.
“Every resident shares in the responsibility to create safe streets,” said Slow Down Sacramento Founder Isaac Gonzalez. “Our organization is about community and a call to act to foster a culture of safe, respectful and courteous driving behaviors within Sacramento.”
About the Campaign
The “Slow the Fast Down” campaign will run through Aug. 24, featuring 15-second public service announcements in English and Spanish on YouTube, gaming and streaming platforms, along with messages on billboards, transit shelters, and social media.
The campaign emphasizes how even small reductions in vehicle speed can dramatically lower the risk of serious injury or death for pedestrians and bicyclists.
“Speeding is dangerous and puts everyone on the road at risk,” said OTS Director Stephanie Dougherty. “Students, parents, teachers, and staff are safer when drivers slow down. Through the ‘Slow the Fast Down’ education campaign, we want to promote a culture of safe driving. Your daily choice to drive within the speed limit protects our youth and everyone in the community.”
