Heads Up Halifax looks to raise awareness about pedestrian/vehicle accidents

Last November, HRM began a program called Heads Up Halifax, directed at educating the public in assisting to decrease the number of pedestrian/vehicle accidents. Statistics show that it’s time for a reminder.

On a sunny Saturday, May 30, the city, along with help from its main sponsor Telus, held an informational event at Victoria Park in downtown Halifax. The gathering was held to initiate and increase awareness of the problem that has plagued HRM for years and doesn’t seem to be getting any better. According to the Halifax Police Department in the first four months of 2015 there have been 65 vehicle/pedestrian collisions, along with four involving bicycles, reported in HRM. And even though it’s a drop of 21.69 per cent from the same timeframe in 2014 it’s still a problem that needs immediate attention.

Bruce DeBaie, managing director of corporate communications, represents HRM. “One of the things we found through our research, after our Heads Up Halifax campaign launched last fall, is that the recall for the campaign wasn’t as great as we wanted it to be. One of the reasons we’re lucky enough to partner with Telus for their Days of Giving is we’re breaking through the noise with this kind of event. It’s going to be a sustained campaign every year.”

In attendance were representatives from the Halifax police and fire departments and numerous volunteers, the majority from Telus. Atlantic Canada director Ken Power. “As a mobile phone company it’s our responsibility to be part of this movement because distracted driving is one of the leading causes of road accidents. And it’s not just vehicles but pedestrians walking around the city. We’re trying to teach people smartphone safety tips. In the vehicle there is no time you should have your phone in your hand. Make sure you have hands free types of modes. And pull the car over if it’s that important. The same is true for pedestrians. You can’t have your headphones in and listening to music or texting with your head down. It’s dangerous. So we’re really behind Heads Up Halifax and we’ll do what we can to support it.”

Also in attendance were Mayor Mike Savage and District 7 Coun. Waye Mason to help spread the message. The city had a booth offering maps and guides for cyclists, and Halifax Transit was on hand to demonstrate how to attach bicycles to the front of buses. Volunteers also formed flash mobs, walking around the downtown core, giving out citations for good crosswalk behaviour and educating the population about smartphone safety. Children were delivered the message in an entertaining fashion as the Unity Charity were present with beatboxers and break-dancers displaying their talents and explaining proper crosswalk behaviour. And hot dogs and hamburgers were grilled and dressed for all who dropped by.

The message was consistently promoted throughout the afternoon. As Bruce DeBaie reiterated, “Heads Up Halifax! And instead of saying I have the right or you have the right or it’s my fault or it’s your fault … just do simple things. Make sure you make eye contact, are situationally aware and keep your heads up. You can’t assume anything. We think it’s not going to happen to us. It can happen in a blink of an eye.”

Other points being stressed were every intersection, marked or not, is a crosswalk. When cars are looking at someone at an intersection that doesn’t have a crosswalk, they still have a right to cross. And pedestrians need to make sure the button on the overhead traffic signal is pushed. These are actual laws. We have to take our heads out of our phones and devices and look around.

Cst. Pierre Bourdages of the Halifax Police Department wants everyone to know that “The public can help by reporting drivers and pedestrians not respecting the rules. It can be specific with description, plate number, etc., and if the witness is willing to testify in court, a ticket can be issued. They can also call us with info on repeated and problem areas.”

We all have a part to play in making our roads safer and it has to start with the individual.