In attempt to reduce the number of pedestrians injured on local streets, Ku-ring-gai, North Sydney, Mosman, Willoughby, Lane Cove and City of Ryde Councils will join together and launch a pedestrian safety campaign.
The campaign will target workers, commuters and shoppers in some of the Councils’ major commercial and retail centres including West Ryde (Macquarie Park), Gladesville, St Leonards, Lane Cove, Spit Junction, Chatswood, and Turramurra.
City of Ryde Road Safety Officer, Emily Burgess, said statistics show the 30-49 year age group account for almost 25% of casualties in the Northern Region of Councils.
“Pedestrian safety is a key road safety issue for all Councils involved,” Ms Burgess said. “We want to encourage people to practise safe pedestrian behaviours including:
- Always use pedestrian crossings
- Never assume that an approaching driver can see you or will stop for you, as their vision may be affected by the sun, poor light and parked cars
- At intersections, check for turning vehicles before you leave the kerb
- Avoid using a mobile phone or portable media player while you are crossing the road as these devices distract you from checking the traffic.”
This joint campaign promotes safe road crossing practices, and includes ‘look right’ and ‘look left’ road stencils to encourage pedestrians to look for cars before they cross the road.
Banners displayed on bridges and bus stop and phone booth advertisements will alert drivers that one in three deaths on the roads is a pedestrian.
This project will launch in May and coincides with the start of the darker months of the year when pedestrians are more at risk of being involved in an accident.
Media contact: Lee Kirkland, City of Ryde, T 9952 8083
