Efforts on to ensure pedestrians’ safety

Mon, 05/02/2016 - 12:00am

 

In the coming months the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) will be carrying out public education programmes aimed at enlightening pedestrians on how to use crosswalks safely.
 
Its President, Sharmane Roland Bowen explained that this is one of the activities the Association will undertake as part of the Crosswalk Improvement Programme, as she noted that too often persons approach the crossings and just start walking, not recognising that there is a procedure that they must also follow. This habit, she lamented, not only puts their lives in danger, but can also cause collisions if drivers are forced to stop suddenly.
 
“[Therefore] we came up with the idea for the Crosswalk Improvement Programme and took it to the Ministry, they embraced it and we are looking at having it implemented very soon. The aim of the programme is to provide safer crossings and to ensure pedestrians actually utilise the crossings. Also, to ensure that motorists can see the crossings clearly, we are looking at upgrading the signage, and to have more conspicuous signs,” she explained to The Barbados Advocate during a recent interview.
 
 

Roland Bowen further indicated that through the initiative, businesses will be called upon to sponsor pedestrian crossings close to their establishments. She noted that those who heed the call will have signs erected in the vicinity of the crossings, which will highlight their contribution.

 

“When the businesses sponsor a crossing, that sponsorship goes towards the maintenance of the crossing, so that we don’t have situations where they are faded and persons, pedestrians or drivers, cannot see them. Through this initiative, the crossing would be repainted on a regular basis,” she said.

 

The BRSA president made the point as she indicated that the intention is to start the programme upgrading at least 50 crossings in recognition of the island’s 50th anniversary of Independence. However, she said not only are they going to be enhancing or upgrading existing crosswalks, but they hope to see new ones introduced as well, particularly in locations throughout the island that are in dire need of a safe crossing for pedestrians.

 

“We have already identified some locations and submitted them to the Ministry of Transport and Works. We are hoping through this programme to make the whole network safer for our most vulnerable road users,” she added. (JRT)

 

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