The Seeing Eye Advocacy and Government Relations Department wants you to know that October is Pedestrian Safety Awareness Month!
Many blind people do much of their travel on foot as a necessity. If you’re a driver, please remember to put safety and patience first when you encounter a pedestrian. If you see a blind pedestrian standing at a crosswalk with a white cane or guide dog, know that they are likely listening for a flow of parallel traffic to cross with. Also, guide dogs are trained to respect vehicles, so you may see a dog stop, slow, or guide their handler around a stationary vehicle in the street. This is normal.
Please do not honk at a blind pedestrian. Honking is not an effective way to communicate with someone who cannot see and therefore cannot interpret what the honk means.
If you think a blind pedestrian needs assistance, please feel free to ask them if they do, but respect their answer if they say “no.”
To learn more about safety concerns for blind pedestrians and the tools they use, go to: https://seeingeye.org/access-advocacy/your-rights-legal-information/pedestrian-safety/
