The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee is marking the beginning of National Pedestrian Safety Month with a targeted pedestrian safety education and enforcement campaign to improve safety on New York’s roadways. Law enforcement agencies across the state will launch Operation “See! Be Seen!” through October 19. Participating agencies will distribute educational materials to drivers and pedestrians and will increase patrols in areas where data has shown that pedestrian safety needs to be addressed.
The State Department of Health has also launched its Street Safe: Walking with Daisy Campaign that will run through October 19. The video features Wanda the Crossing Guard and her street-safe sidekick Daisy teaching kids in grades K-5 some simple rules of the road to help them cross the street safely. The video was funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) and the media campaign is being funded by the New York State Department of Transportation and targets parents and caregivers in Albany County where pedestrian-involved crashes are overrepresented in crash data. Data from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research (ITSMR) shows a 400 percent increase in pedestrian fatalities in Albany County from 2 deaths in 2019 to 10 deaths in 2023.
New York first required a helmet for bike riders under age 14 in 1993 and later extended that to inline skaters, non-motorized scooters, and skateboarders.
Recognizing that pedestrian safety continues to be a serious concern in New York State, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee recommends the following safety tips:
Tips for Drivers: See!
- YIELD for pedestrians in crosswalks and at intersections – it’s the law.
- Do not block crosswalks when stopping at intersections.
- Slow down and obey posted speed limits.
- Take extra care around schools, playgrounds, and neighborhoods.
- Always look out for pedestrians, especially before turning at a green light or making a “right turn on red.”
- Never run red lights.
- Be careful when passing stopped vehicles. They might be stopping for pedestrians.
- Pay attention! Do not text and drive!
Tips for Pedestrians: Be Seen!
- Cross in marked crosswalks and at intersections.
- Use pedestrian pushbuttons and wait for signals to cross.
- Before crossing, look left, right, then left again, and over your shoulder for turning vehicles.
- Use sidewalks. If there are none, walk facing traffic so you see vehicles, and drivers see you.
- Pay attention! Don’t text while crossing!
- Make eye contact with drivers so they see you.
- Stay visible after dark and in bad weather with light-colored or reflective clothing.
- Don’t suddenly step in front of traffic. Buses and trucks take even longer to stop than other vehicles.
- Watch out for vehicles backing out of parking spaces and driveways.
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