MAYOR DECLARES ‘BE SAFE, BE SEEN’ HALLOWEEN

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY DAY

(Mon., Oct. 29, 2012)—Mayor Peter Carlisle proclaimed October 31, 2012, as “BE SAFE, BE SEEN” Halloween Pedestrian Safety Day.

            “It’s important to remind motorists to drive vigilantly for the safety of pedestrians,” Carlisle said. “I am pleased the City is partnering again with state agencies to promote safety during Halloween, especially for our children.” 

            “BE SAFE, BE SEEN” is sponsored by the City’s Department of Transportation Services. The annual campaign encourages trick-or-treaters, young and old, to wear retro-reflective, adhesive-backed stickers on their costumes or trick-or-treat containers to ensure that motorists can see them more easily while on the roads.

            National studies have shown that wearing these retro-reflective materials greatly increases the visibility of pedestrians at night. A person can be seen from 500 feet away when wearing retro-reflective material. Wearing these stickers in addition to obeying traffic regulations will help raise the level of safety for all road users.

            Through a partnership with the Department of Transportation, Department of Education and the Honolulu Police Department, approximately 65,000 stickers have been distributed to Oahu public school students in kindergarten to fifth grades. The stickers are also available at Oahu’s satellite city halls.

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Media contact: Wayne Yoshioka, Department of Transportation Services, 768-8303