Look out for the zebra crossing

11 October 2006

A life-size black and white human zebra will help Christchurch motorists think about pedestrian safety at crossings this week.

As part of the annual Kidsafe Week, the zebra will be turning up at school crossings around the city to raise awareness of the dangers at all pedestrian crossings.

Christchurch City Council Traffic Safety Coordinator Susan Cambridge said many accidents happened at pedestrian crossings.

"These happen because drivers approach too fast and assume people will always look carefully before they cross," says Ms Cambridge. “We think using the zebra to highlight a crossing is a fun way to get people thinking about pedestrian safety not just on this occasion, but every time they approach a crossing.

"We can educate pedestrians as much as possible about safe crossing, but the reality is some people will step out onto a crossing without looking carefully, especially children who can be easily distracted.

"The elderly may also be unpredictable and sometimes take longer to cross than drivers anticipate. Drivers may underestimate the time it takes for them to cross and accelerate off too fast, putting the pedestrian at risk." 

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