Cooperative statewide effort to reduce pedestrian

deaths and encourage safe walking habits

WILMINGTON, Del. (October 14, 2019) – In honor of Pedestrian Safety Month to meaningfully reduce pedestrian deaths across the state, Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is bringing back its grassroots pedestrian safety initiative statewide. From Monday, October 7 through Sunday, October 20, pedestrian street teams will be deployed on DART buses throughout the state with routes that travel corridors with higher occurrences of pedestrian crashes and fatalities. These street teams will educate Delawareans on safe walking habits and hand out reflectors for use.

“Data continues to show that October is the deadliest month related to crashes occurring in Delaware, with the highest occurrences of pedestrian fatalities and injuries. In addition, pedestrian crashes peak around evening rush hour from 5 to 8 p.m. This is precisely why we have decided to bring back our grassroots initiative to stress the importance of safe walking habits especially during this time frame,” said Kimberly Chesser, Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “We would like to thank DART for partnering with us on such an important initiative, helping to make sure that our riders and pedestrians Walk Smart.”

Common factors in pedestrian crashes involve individuals being under the influence, distracted walking, wearing dark-colored clothing, and crossing outside of crosswalks on busy roads like Kirkwood Highway (Rt 2), DuPont Highway (US 13), and Pulaski Highway (US 40).

“OHS will continue to do its part to promote that pedestrians Walk Smart, and hope each person helps us spread our message to ensure that pedestrians arrive safely,” said Richard Klepner, Deputy Director and Pedestrian Safety Coordinator, Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

For more information, please visit ohs.delaware.gov, or visit us on Facebook (@HighwaysafetyDE), Twitter (@HighwaysafetyDE) and Instagram (HighwaysafetyDE).

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About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. FAQs can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com.

Pedestrian safety campaign emphasis how to cross safely

 Dover –  The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is asking people the age old question of “Why did the chicken cross the road?” But instead of why, they want to know how did the chicken cross the road, and they are hoping people are answering carefully.  There is an increased risk for pedestrian crashes during the summer months when more people are traveling and the resort area population increases.  That’s why OHS has teamed up with DelDOT again to educate and encourage pedestrians to make smart and safe decisions when walking near roadways.

Since January 1^st of this year 12 pedestrians have died in traffic crashes in Delaware. That number is higher than at this time last year when there were only 8 pedestrian fatalities.  This is particularly alarming because it is only mid-year, with the fall season yet to come – a time of year when day light hours get shorter and sun glare becomes an issue, bringing an increased risk for more pedestrian and motor vehicle crashes.

The new pedestrian campaign effort in New Castle and Kent Counties will feature a chicken crossing the road that points out how and where to cross safely.  Paid media messaging will include DART bus ads, digital ads, and door hangers for homes along high crash roadways.

OHS will continue the beach-to-beach pedestrian initiative with Ocean City Maryland which features the happy crab image. Paid media messaging includes signage on lifeguard stands, in Tanger Outlets, and on the Jolly Trolley.  OHS will partner with towns to conduct pedestrian safety checks to provide safe walking tips and information.  The first event will take place with South Bethany Beach on Friday July 3^rd.

OHS will continue the educational pedestrian safety patrols with Bethany Beach PD, Dewey Beach PD, Fenwick Island PD, New Castle County PD, Newark PD, Rehoboth Beach PD, S. Bethany Beach PD, Wilmington PD, and  DSP Troops 2, 6, & 7.  These 2-officer patrols will occur over weekends scheduled in June, July, August, and September.  The officers will patrol high pedestrian crash locations to identify pedestrians who are at risk of being involved in a crash, such as those not crossing at marked crosswalks or signaled intersections, walking at dusk/night without a reflective item or flashlight, or walking impaired.  The officers will stop the pedestrian to provide education about how to walk safely near traffic, as well as provide them an informational flyer and a reflective string backpack.

Ultimately, highway safety officials and their partners agree that solving the problem will require active participation and buy-in from the motoring public and pedestrians alike.  By following these basic safety tips and pedestrian laws, everyone can learn to Walk Smart.

• Cross only at crosswalks or intersections with signals or traffic signs. Look left, right, and left again. Only start to cross when it’s clear.
• Do not risk crossing outside of a crosswalk or intersection just because it’s more convenient, especially on high speed roadways. Cars cannot stop in time for you.
• Use sidewalks. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far off the edge of the road as possible.
• Do not step into a crosswalk if it will create a hazard to motorists. When it is clear to cross, continue to watch for traffic while crossing the street until you have safely reached the other side.
• Carry a flashlight or other reflective item when walking at night. It’s the law.
• Teach children not to run into the street after balls or other toys, and don’t allow them to cross alone until you’ve practiced the basics with them.
• Do not walk under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Impaired walking is like impaired driving; it is illegal and can be deadly.
• If your vehicle breaks down on an interstate or busy roadway, don’t leave your vehicle.  Instead call #77 or 911 for assistance.  Motorists can also call #77 to report a disabled vehicle they see on the roadways.
• If you are driving, be on the lookout for pedestrians near the roadway.

For more information on the Walk Smart campaign and to find materials about pedestrian safety tips and laws, please visit http://ohs.delaware.gov/pedestrian.shtml, follow us on Twitter @DEHighwaySafe or on Facebook at ArriveAliveDE.

Realistic Walk Smart pedestrian crash demonstration shows life-or-death necessity of slowing down

(WILMINGTON, REHOBOTH BEACH) DE – Delaware’s pedestrian safety education campaign kicked off this week with demonstrations of the effects of speed on pedestrian safetyin New Castle County and Sussex County. The “Walk Smart” campaign, a collaborative effort between the Office of Highway Safety (OHS), the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), and state and local law enforcement with other partners, is meant to educate the public about safe walking and crossing practices to improve safety on the road. The campaign comes at a significant time as May has trended as highest for pedestrian crashes in Delaware.

“Speed is one factor that is almost always the difference between life and death when it comes to pedestrian crashes,” said Jana Simpler, Director of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety, which is coordinating the Walk Smart campaign with DelDOT.

“Even one pedestrian crash on our roadways is too many, and we are working hard to create strategies to eliminate these crashes,” Simpler said at the kick-off events. “Although quite simple, this message is vitally important.”

To drive home this point, the events included a demonstration of vehicle stopping time and distance, featuring a wire-frame model of a child crossing the street. At 25 mph, the vehicle stops in time. At 35 mph, the car slams into the model with devastating force.

“The lesson here is clear,” said Adam Weiser, DelDOT Safety Programs Manager. “If a pedestrian is struck by a car going 25 mph or slower, the odds of survival are good. At speeds above 35 mph, the impact is likely to be fatal.”

Every eight minutes a pedestrian or cyclist is injured on our nation’s roadways. From 2012-2013, 754 reportable pedestrian crashes occurred on Delaware’s roadways; 75 percent occurred in New Castle County with most in the Wilmington area. Sussex County has also experienced an increase in pedestrian crashes. There were 20 pedestrian-related crashes along Route 1 from Lewes to Fenwick Island from 2011-2013.

“The vast majority of these crashes can be prevented if drivers reduce their speed and pedestrians use care along roadways. Educating the public about pedestrian fatalities and how to prevent them will certainly help save lives and make our roads safer,” said Lewis D. Schiliro, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

In an effort to combat these statistics, the Walk Smart campaign involves a combination of law enforcement stopping violators and educating them about safe walking and crossing practices and public awareness activities. OHS and DelDOT along with state and local police departments will conduct pedestrian safety patrols along roadways with high pedestrian crashes. The agencies will distribute pedestrian safety informational materials that highlight safe pedestrian practices along with reflective items with the “Walk Smart” message.

“Troopers will continue to emphasize and bring awareness that pedestrian crashes often result in deadly consequences,” said Sergeant Paul G. Shavack, Director of Public Information for the Delaware State Police. “The key to stopping these predictable and preventable incidents from occurring is through education and targeted enforcement for the safety of both pedestrians and motorists. Troopers will focus enforcement efforts on pedestrians who are crossing at areas other than designated crosswalks, walking along a roadway when a sidewalk is available, as well as motorists who fail to obey laws designed to ensure pedestrian safety.” 

In an effort to further enhance the Walk Smart campaign, Christiana Care and Beebe Healthcare have joined forces to provide education about the devastating effects of pedestrian crashes.

“At Christiana Care, we all too often are called upon to provide emergency care for our neighbors who are injured while they are walking,” said Glen Tinkoff, M.D., associate vice chair of surgery for emergency surgical services at Christiana Care Health System, which includes Delaware’s only level one adult trauma center, at Christiana Hospital. “We welcome this opportunity to partner with our state leaders to educate the public about pedestrian safety through Walk Smart.”

Pictures and video of the demonstration can be found on OHS YouTube and Facebook pages.  To learn more about the campaign, visit http://ohs.delaware.gov/PedestrianSafety.

YouTube: http://youtu.be/4blq-Q-fwPM

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE

13 Pedestrian Deaths So Far This Year

Dover – It’s proving to be a very dangerous year for those trying to walk near Delaware roadways, say state Office of Highway Safety officials (OHS).  Since January 1^st of this year 13 pedestrians have died in traffic related crashes in Delaware. That number is higher than at this time last year.  This is particularly alarming because it is only mid-year, with the fall season yet to come – a time of year when travel and traffic increases, day light hours get shorter and sun glare becomes an issue, bringing an increased risk for more pedestrian and motor vehicle crashes.

That’s why OHS has teamed up with DelDOT and DSP to step up the Don’t Join The Walking Dead pedestrian campaign effort, and will be holding pedestrian safety checks in jurisdictions with an increased number of pedestrian crashes.  The first pedestrian safety check will be Friday July 26^th at the Starboard in Dewey Beach, followed by one on Second Street in Lewes on Saturday August 3^rd, and others in Rodney Square in Wilmington on August 8^th and September 6^th.  Many traffic safety partners will be on hand to provide safe walking tips and information, including Beebe Hospital, Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement, Sussex County Paramedics, Lewes PD, Wilmington PD, & Dewey PD.

OHS started a pilot program for educational pedestrian safety patrols in the jurisdictional areas of DSP Troops 2 & 6, Wilmington PD, New Castle County PD, and Newark PD.  These 2-officer patrols occurred over Memorial Day weekend and June 20-22, with additional weekends scheduled in August, September, and October.  The officers patrol high pedestrian crash locations to identify pedestrians who are at risk of being involved in a crash, such as those not crossing at marked crosswalks or signaled intersections, walking at dusk/night without a reflective item or flashlight, or walking impaired.  The officers stop the pedestrian to provide education about how to walk safely near traffic, as well as provide them an informational flyer and a reflective string backpack.

Ultimately, highway safety officials and their partners agree that solving the problem will require active participation and buy-in from the motoring public and pedestrians alike.  By following these basic safety tips and pedestrian laws, everyone can learn to Walk Smart.  Don’t Join the Walking Dead.

• Cross only at crosswalks or intersections with signals or traffic signs. Look left, right, and left again.  Only start to cross when it’s clear.
• Do not risk crossing outside of a crosswalk or intersection just because it’s more convenient, especially on high speed roadways. Cars cannot stop in time for you.
• Use sidewalks. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far off the edge of the road as possible.
• Do not step into a crosswalk if it will create a hazard to motorists. When it is clear to cross, continue to watch for traffic while crossing the street until you have safely reached the other side.
• Carry a flashlight or other reflective item when walking at night. It’s the law.
• Do not hitchhike.
• Teach children not to run into the street after balls or other toys, and don’t allow them to cross alone until you’ve practiced the basics with them hundreds of times.
• Do not walk under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Impaired walking is like impaired driving; it is illegal and can be deadly.
• If your vehicle breaks down on an interstate or busy roadway, don’t leave your vehicle.  Instead call #77 or 911 for assistance.  Motorists can also call #77 to report a disabled vehicle they see on the roadways.
• If you are driving, be on the lookout for pedestrians near the roadway.

For more information on the Pedestrian Safety campaign and to find materials about pedestrian safety tips and laws, please visit ohs.delaware.gov/PedestrianSafety, follow us on Twitter at @DEHighwaySafe, and like us on Facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE.

NEWARK (May 20, 2013) – Construction will
begin this week on a connector that will join two existing trail facilities
within the White Clay Creek State Park along Hopkins Road, as part of Governor
Jack Markell’s First State Trails and Pathways Initiative.

The purpose of the project is to create safer conditions for
hikers, bicycle riders, runners and walkers who use the trail system in White
Clay Creek State Park.  Improvements
will include creating a separated and protected shoulder within the roadway for
pedestrians and bicyclists.

The project is 0.2 miles in length, located between Creek Road and
the northernmost end of the Pomeroy Trail where it joins Hopkins Road. The
project area crosses the bridge over White Clay Creek.

“By closing the remaining gaps within the 75 miles of trails
around Newark and White Clay Creek State Park, we will further enhance one of
the best outdoor experiences in the region for cyclists, runners, and hikers,”
said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara.

“Our goal has always been to create and sustain multiple modes of
transportation in Delaware,” said DelDOT Secretary Shailen Bhatt. “The opening
of the connector in White Clay Creek State Park will provide more options for
pedestrians and bicyclists in the region.”

DelDOT is overseeing all of the project development and
construction, and administering the construction of the project through a
private contractor.

Trail users come up from Newark via the Pomeroy Trail into White
Clay Creek State Park.  The Pomeroy and Creek Road form a 3.4 mile loop
within the 3,044 acre park.

Construction is underway to pave portions of road shoulders and install
flexible delineators, as well as a low railing on the bridge walls. In
addition, pedestrian crosswalks will define crossings, and signage will note
that pedestrians and bicyclists will be crossing Hopkins Road.

The project is expected to take several weeks to complete.

For information about projects in the Governor’s Trails and Pathways
Initiative visit www.trails.delaware.gov.

Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 43, No. 210