By The Star Staff
With the motto “Arrive Safely. Be a Responsible Pedestrian,” the Traffic Safety Commission (CST by its Spanish initials) has launched an educational campaign aimed at raising awareness among pedestrians, who when walking on public roads must be attentive to their surroundings, a habit that can save their lives.
The effort, announced this week by CST Executive Director Luis Rodríguez Díaz, runs through this Sunday.
“As part of our commitment to reducing fatalities on the road, we have developed this campaign aimed at guiding pedestrians about the importance of making good use of public roads, something that is their responsibility,” Rodríguez Díaz said.
Among the recommendations provided to pedestrians through the educational effort is that when crossing a road or intersection, always look both ways. Always use sidewalks if available, and where there are no sidewalks, walk on the side of the road so that you are facing oncoming traffic.
The campaign also recommends using bridges and crosswalks. At night, pedestrians must wear light clothes, and should never walk drunk on public roads at any time of the day or night.
The CST chief noted that, according to statistics, the gender with the highest pedestrian deaths are men, and a large majority of pedestrian fatalities occur between 6 a.m. and midnight.
“We are all pedestrians at some point, and it is our duty to protect the lives of all road users,” Rodríguez Díaz said. ‘With this campaign we want to achieve a change in pedestrian behavior, so I urge you to avoid distractions while you are walking.”
The educational campaign can be seen in all mass media, including television, radio, print, digital and social networks.