Chicago set a Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths by 2026, but isn't anywhere close. Drivers killed 109 people last year.

Well, proper infrastructure definitely makes car "accidents" much less likely. Also deaths should not be the only statistic here, much more people get disabled by cars than killed

Is reducing the accident rate even a realistic target?

Yes! I thought the same thing about my city, which has drivers who are profoundly lacking in critical skills such as looking both ways, basic logic and critical thinking.

Deaths have been falling. We've introduced rolling crosswalks and bike lights that flip green before the car lights do. We've added on demand beg buttons (crossing buttons) that turn the lights red for cars when you press them, or at least trigger very bright flashers.

We've also spent money adding concrete bulbs and islands that make crosswalks shorter and make choke points for cars, slowing cars down.

We've also added emergency portable red light cams and speed cams that immediately ticket you if you drive too fast. Some roads have been converted to one ways, bus lanes, or protected bike lanes. Buses have gotten ticketing cameras that auto-ticket people that drive in the bus lanes illegally.

Our state recently signed legislation reducing the speed limits severely and gave pedestrians right of way over cars.

It's gotten traffic deaths (at the time of writing) down to 0 for pedestrians and bikes in 2025. Our city is still very carpilled. Most bike and bus lanes are still somewhat of an afterthought, with goofy decisions like a crossing at a red light in the middle of the street. But we are getting better after working on Vision Zero for a decade+. Your city can get there too.

You are right that you pretty much can't eliminate edge cases, like addicts running in traffic at night.

However, Chicago is notoriously lawless for driving and a lot of these deaths were due to running red lights, lane violations, turning through peds at an intersection, etc. All of those can be addressed pretty effectively.