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        Local and Rural Road Safety Program
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                Crash Facts
                
                Newspaper Article 3: Drivers at Intersections (right and left turns)
    

    
    
          Anytown-GeorgeMcGarvey's life will never be the same. Since the crash, he hates to drive and will do almost anything to avoid it. So now he walks. Walking is a kind of therapy because, as he says, some days he feels like he's walking in his victim's shoes.

Last fall McGarvey was on his way to work, just like most days. He had a few things on his mind, an important meeting, but nothing really out of the ordinary until he made a left turn from Washington Boulevard onto Main Street. Traffic was heavy and McGarvey was looking for other cars. He never saw eighteen year-old Susie Ellsworth who was in the crosswalk on her way to a dentist appointment. McGarvey says at the time when he was turning, he was more concerned with getting through the traffic gap. He saw the traffic coming towards him, but forgot to look for pedestrians crossing.

Ellsworth was thrown 15 feet by McGarvey's vehicle and sustained severe injuries. She was rushed to Anytown Hospital where doctors did a terrific job of saving her life. Still, the blow to her head has left permanent scars. She is now blind in one eye, has trouble reading, and has some short-term memory loss.

McGarvey has apologized to Ellsworth and her family a million times. But to him, it's not enough. So he spends all his free time (and then some) raising awareness about pedestrian safety. He is the Chair of the Anytown Pedestrian Safety Coalition.

"I just want to keep reminding drivers over and over again, that you have to always stay alert," says McGarvey. "When you drive on the same roads every day, it's easy to forget about pedestrians or get lazy. Drivers should always look out for pedestrians," McGarvey added.

Today McGarvey is spending his lunch hour passing out brochures and talking to motorists on Washington Boulevard. "I tell drivers to be extra careful when turning," he said. "Whether you are turning left or right, look for pedestrians and be prepared to stop. If you see a car stopped ahead, be very careful when passing. There could be pedestrians crossing. A 3000 pound vehicle will always win against a 150 pound person."

The Anytown Pedestrian Safety Coalition is currently conducting a campaign to remind drivers to look for pedestrians; and to encourage pedestrians to use crosswalks and follow the pedestrians crossing signals.

More information about this and other safety issues is available in English and some in Spanish. To volunteer or obtain more information about Anytown's Pedestrian Safety Campaign and other associated events, please call (Campaign Coordinator's name here) at (phone number) or (email address).

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Newspaper Article 4: Drivers and Crosswalks

Anytown-If you plan to drive downtown this week, watch out! The Anytown Police Department's Traffic Division will be conducting a Crosswalk Enforcement Detail at several intersections, including Main Street and Washington Boulevard.

At various times of the day-including rush hour-undercover officers will be crossing the street at several crosswalks. Motorists who fail to yield for pedestrians will be cited (or given a warning.) This enforcement activity is part of the Anytown Pedestrian Safety Campaign.

"We see vehicle-pedestrian incidents all too often, especially downtown," said Anytown Police Chief Roger Higgins. "We are glad to be a part of the Anytown Pedestrian Safety Campaign to help reduce pedestrian-related crashes," Higgins added.

The goal of the crosswalk enforcement campaign is to remind drivers they need to look and stop for pedestrians. Research shows that vehicle-pedestrian crashes often occur because drivers are looking only for other cars, are distracted, or just not expecting to see a pedestrian in their path.

The enforcement campaign will take place at several key locations for a reason. One location is the mid-block crossing in front of the library. Anytown police say many drivers fail to yield to pedestrians at that crossing because it is an unsignalized crossing, in other words, it is not controlled by traffic signals. "There are pedestrian warning signs on both sides of the street prior to the crosswalk," said Higgins. "Drivers need to pay attention to those signs and stop when a pedestrian is present," he added.

How well do Anytown residents pay attention to crosswalks? I stopped a few motorists at key intersections to ask. "Wow. I didn't realize that was a crosswalk," said John Mayer after passing the library in his car. "I always look for pedestrians when I'm driving downtown," says Anytown Bank employee Sandra Miller. "But I have to confess, I've been caught off guard a few times on some of the neighborhood side streets, especially when you turn from one street that doesn't have crosswalks onto another where there is a crosswalk," Miller added.

As part of the public education campaign, the Anytown Pedestrian Safety Coalition is distributing public service announcements to local TV stations. Two of the spots are targeted to drivers, with a hard-hitting message about looking and stopping for pedestrians in the crosswalk. In one spot, a four year-old girl is almost hit by a car in the crosswalk, and in the other, a young girl tells viewers her mother was killed while trying to cross the street safely and asks who will take care of her now.

The Anytown Pedestrian Safety Coalition is currently conducting a campaign to remind drivers to look for pedestrians; and to encourage pedestrians to use crosswalks and follow the pedestrian signal indications.

More information about this and other safety issues is available in English and some in Spanish. To volunteer or obtain more information about Anytown's Pedestrian Safety Campaign and other associated events, please call (Campaign Coordinator's name here) at (phone number) or (email address).

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Newspaper Article 5: Proper Use of Signals and Crosswalks

Anytown-Take a walk down Main Street past Anytown Bank on Washington Boulevard, and then go a couple of blocks up to Anytown High School on Garden Street, and you'll encounter quite a number of pedestrian facilities designed to keep you safe. You'll see pedestrian signal indications and warning signs. All this is terrific, but if you don't use crosswalks, or you don't know what the pedestrian signal indications mean, these devices won't do you much good.

The marked crosswalks on Main Street and Washington Boulevard, and the pedestrian warning signs at main intersections, are designed to provide visual clues to keep drivers alert for pedestrians.

Some crosswalks are meant to encourage people to cross at a particular location. The crosswalk at Washington Boulevard and Garden Street is a perfect example. It's meant to highlight an appropriate crossing location which has a pedestrian signal indication. Authorities hope it will discourage children and other pedestrians from crossing mid-block. Drivers are more likely to see them there and stop.

Of course, there are some mid-block crosswalks. There's one on Henry Street in front of the library. With a public parking lot directly across the street, it makes sense to have a mid-block crossing there. The rationale is that in this case when there is too much distance between corner crosswalks, a mid-block crosswalk provides a designated crossing location for pedestrians.

One of the most important pedestrian facilities is the pedestrian signal indication, yet many people do not know what each of the signals really mean. The walking man symbol means cross, but watch for turning cars. The flashing orange hand means don't start, but finish crossing if you've already started. And the solid orange hand means don't cross. Contrary to popular belief, it does not mean run quickly before the light changes.

The other reason for pedestrian-vehicle crashes is that drivers often look for other cars, but forget to look for pedestrians. The Anytown Pedestrian Safety Coalition is currently conducting a campaign to remind drivers to look for pedestrians; and to encourage pedestrians to use crosswalks and follow the pedestrian signal indications.

So, with all these safety devices, why do we have so many pedestrian-vehicle crashes? Research suggests that pedestrians may have a false sense of security at marked crosswalks. And because of this, they step out into the intersection without looking for cars first. The rule of thumb is: look left, right, left before you enter the crosswalk. And as you're crossing, check over your shoulder for turning vehicles.

More information about this and other safety issues is available in English and some in Spanish. To volunteer or obtain more information about Anytown's Pedestrian Safety Campaign and other associated events, please call (Campaign Coordinator's name here) at (phone number) or (email address).

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Newspaper Article 6: Alcohol and Pedestrians (overview of problem, statistics, etc.)

Anytown-Anytown's restaurant district is a haven for pedestrians who want to go out and enjoy lively scenery and nightlife. But there's more to think about here than just music and cuisine. Safety is an issue that the Anytown Pedestrian Safety Campaign would like you to keep in mind.

The campaign organizers want to make it an even safer environment. Last year, 13 Anytown pedestrians were killed in crashes, and many more were injured. Alcohol involvement-either for the driver or for the pedestrian-was reported in 47 percent of the traffic crashes that resulted in pedestrian fatalities.

The restaurant district is one area of focus for city planners and for the Anytown Pedestrian Safety Campaign. Dale Martin has been studying activity level and crash data for several years. He says that "there are many factors at play, including street design and safety measures, driver and pedestrian habits, and driver and pedestrian impairments. We're studying all of these components to try to create a safer environment. We believe that a key part of our work involves educating everyone."

So Dale Martin and other campaign organizers went directly to business owners in the restaurant district to ask for their help. Tonight in Anytown, each diner will receive a special message with his or her meal-a colorful printed napkin reminding them to act responsibly and to look out for pedestrians. Campaign volunteers are also passing out brochures in the district that detail the dangers of walking while intoxicated and urge pedestrians to make sure they have a sober buddy in the group to help keep everyone safe.

Tonight's efforts are just one piece of a larger campaign to make pedestrians safer in Anytown. The group is also organizing awareness walks, interactive school presentations, rallies on the steps of city hall and victims' speaking engagements. Each component of the campaign addresses a different facet of pedestrian safety issues in our area.

Remember, even if you are walking home after drinking, alcohol can interfere with your ability to effectively judge the speed of vehicles and increases your reaction time.

The Anytown Pedestrian Safety Coalition is currently conducting a campaign to remind drivers to look for pedestrians; and to encourage pedestrians to use crosswalks and follow the pedestrian signal indications.

More information about this and other safety issues is available in English and some in Spanish. To volunteer or obtain more information about Anytown's Pedestrian Safety Campaign and other associated events, please call (Campaign Coordinator's name here) at (phone number) or (email address).

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          Last updated: Friday, June 17, 2011 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

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