Peatón Seguro (Safe Pedestrians): Government launches campaign to reduce traffic accident deaths
Pedestrians comprise 36% of traffic fatalities in Chile – therefore, this campaign urges people to be responsible when walking along public roads and avoid high-risk behavior such as crossing the road at places not designated as crossings or while looking at a cell phone.
"Always be aware of the surrounding conditions while walking" was the message that was delivered this morning by Acting Transport and Telecommunications Minister, José Luis Dominguez, together with the Executive Secretary of CONASET, Luis Alberto Stuven, and Chilean uniformed police, during the launch of the Peatón Seguro (Safe Pedestrians) campaign, which focuses on the most vulnerable road users who accounted for 36% of those killed in traffic accidents during 2018.
"Crossing the road at places that are not designated crossings or while looking at a cell phone is high-risk behavior that can cause an accident. We urge people to be responsible when walking along public roads, be careful and avoid such behavior that can cost you your life. Last year 537 pedestrians were killed in accidents and 67% of them were the result of recklessness,” emphasized Acting Minister José Luis Dominguez.
Citizens' organizations and the companies Moovit and Vias Chile also participated in the launch. An urban intervention took place where a giant sticker was placed on the floor to define an exclusive path for people taking care while walking and another for those who are distracted, for example by their cell phones. Instructors helped pedestrians choose which path to follow and explained that the purpose of this intervention is to help people become aware that we must walk safely.
"Pedestrians are the most vulnerable of road users, so through this awareness campaign we want to strengthen our appeal that they take care of themselves and walk responsibly on roads. A pedestrian’s duty is to cross at designated crossings, to avoid accidents that may affect the pedestrian and a cyclist or driver traveling through that place," noted Luis Stuven, Executive Secretary of CONASET.
According to studies by the World Health Organization (WHO), cell phone use is an increasingly serious problem worldwide. In fact, this organization has issued
warnings about the risks of chatting and listening to music using headphones while walking down the street.
The Acting Minister added that "Chile cannot escape this situation. For this reason, the Transport and Telecommunications Ministry, through CONASET, has promoted this campaign, to be reinforced by social networks using a viral video featuring a visually impaired person who teaches passersby to cross the road when indicated by the traffic light.”
As part of this public-private collaboration, the company Vias Chile will reinforce the message by providing reflective material, distributing messages that encourage using footbridges and accident prevention that should be adopted by pedestrians while walking along highways. The purpose of the Moovit application is to help public transportation users to plan their route. Its developers expressed their commitment to safe urban mobility and will send road safety messages to users of their APP.