A creative pedestrian safety program developed in northwestern Pennsylvania has earned national recognition for helping educate students and families about safe walking habits.<\/p>\n
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Courtesy of PennDOT<\/p>\n
PennDOT\u2019s northwestern region was recently honored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Transportation Communication Committee. PennDOT’s Pedestrian Safety Calendar received the organization’s National Skill Award in the “Best of the Rest” category, recognizing innovative public outreach efforts.<\/p>\n
The award-winning program was created through a partnership between PennDOT District 1 and Harding Elementary School in the City of Erie. As part of the initiative, District 1 Safety Press Officer Saxon Daugherty and Mike Tautin of the Highway Safety Network visited second- and third-grade classrooms to teach students important pedestrian safety rules and tips.<\/p>\n
After the presentations, students were invited to create artwork illustrating at least one of the safety lessons they learned. More than 200 drawings were submitted, with 18 selected for inclusion in a special pedestrian safety calendar.<\/p>\n
The finished calendars were printed and distributed to participating students and teachers. Throughout the year, the student artwork has also been featured on PennDOT’s regional social media platforms, helping extend the safety message to a wider audience.<\/p>\n
PennDOT staff members Jill Harry, District 1 Press Officer, and Stephanie Smilak, Deputy Digital Director, also played key roles in developing and implementing the project.<\/p>\n
Officials say the collaboration is part of PennDOT’s ongoing effort to reduce pedestrian-related crashes through education and community outreach across the region.<\/p>\n
“Over the past 12 months, pedestrian safety has been an area of focus for our external safety efforts because it is more than a transportation issue. It is a community issue,” said PennDOT District 1 Executive Brian McNulty. “Our team did a great job of looking for opportunities for collaboration within the communities we serve and using those connections to amplify the message to have a greater impact.”<\/p>\n
Building on the success of the program, PennDOT has already launched a second year of the initiative in partnership with the Titusville Area School District and Main Street Elementary School.<\/p>\n
PennDOT encourages pedestrians to wear bright or reflective clothing, use marked crosswalks and signalized intersections whenever possible, walk facing traffic, and avoid distractions such as cell phones and earbuds while walking.<\/p>\n