Anytown's Most Vulnerable Cry for Help - The National Pedestrian Safety Campaign

Anytown's Most Vulnerable Cry for Help

Anytown, State*-Ingrid Allman is one of Anytown's most senior and distinguished citizens. "Miss Anytown" in 1942, she's been a civic leader and inspiration for more than 60 years. Today Ms. Allman and other special guests will speak to the press, offering personal pleas for attention to pedestrians. The event will begin tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. on the City Hall front steps.

From 19XX to 20XX, 37.5% of Anywhere County pedestrian fatality victims were either under the age of 20 or over the age of 59. For people older than 64, the pedestrian death rate from 19XX-20XX was five per 100,000 population, nearly double the over-all county rate of three per 100,000.

These numbers have serious implications for Anytown's youngest and oldest citizens. Our youngest pedestrians are less aware of traffic rules and patterns than adult pedestrians. They are also at a disadvantage as far as size-typically being no taller than a vehicle's hood, child pedestrians can easily be missed as drivers conduct their activities.

Elementary age children are at greatest risk because of their limited developmental skills. Children in this age group:

• Have a field of vision 1/3 narrower than an adult's.
• Are unable to determine the direction of sounds.
• Cannot accurately judge the speed or distance of moving vehicles.
• Lack the ability to understand how much time and distance is needed for a vehicle to stop.
• Overestimate their own abilities.
• Are easily distracted, and tend to focus on one thing at a time like a ball or friend.
• Are easily hidden by bushes, parked cars, etc.

Older pedestrians are also an at-risk group. Sometimes confused or startled by fast-moving traffic, older pedestrians generally take longer to cross than younger pedestrians. Mayor Scott has been focusing on this issue since his campaign began three years ago, saying today that "our senior citizens deserve our respect and attention, just as our young folks do. It's time we took an opportunity to focus on their needs," Scott said.

Ms. Allman, herself a survivor of a pedestrian crash, will discuss her own experience with Anytown's drivers. "The fact is," Ms. Allman says, "that we're all just too busy to look out for each other these days, and that's a sad, sad thing. We need to think about safety before anything else-being late is not as bad as being responsible for injuries or death. It's as simple as that," Allman said.

Chad Williams, an Anytown fourth-grader, will also speak to the citizens of Anytown through the media event by reading a section of his recent report on pedestrian safety. "I know that I should cross in the crosswalk. I try to always remember that. Please help by looking for pedestrians and stopping for them."

Ms. Allman, Mr. Williams and Mayor Scott will each take questions before closing. Media interviews can be scheduled and more information obtained by contacting (Campaign Coordinator's name here) at (phone number) or (email address).

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