Crossing the Road Safely

Have flag, will travel ... safely

Orange safety flags installed for pedestrians crossing busy
Dartmouth street

Last Updated: Monday, August 11, 2008 |
6:08 PM AT Comments12Recommend15

CBC News

A Nova Scotia man believes a little flag-waving might save a life.

Norm Collins has put bright orange flags at 13 crosswalks along Waverley Road
in Dartmouth for pedestrians to carry as they cross the busy street.

He said the flags will make pedestrians stand out to passing motorists.

Collins said he grew tired of hearing about traffic accidents involving
pedestrians.

"Over the last year, year and a half, we didn't see anything changing," he
told CBC News on Monday. "This was an opportunity for a group of citizens to
attempt to actually do something."

The flags are about the size of a sheet of paper. There are several at each
of the 13 crosswalks, some of which have flashing lights. The flags sit in
cylinders that Collins attached to the crosswalk posts.

Collins said various businesses are helping to cover the costs by "adopting"
a crosswalk.

"[Municipal officials] weren't prepared to fund or endorse the program," he
said. "They did say in the absence of any legitimate safety complaints that they
will not take our buckets down and wouldn't take our flags away."

Collins said thieves have made off with about 30 flags since the project was
launched on Sunday.

Even so, he remains optimistic and hopes the crosswalk flag idea catches on
in other neighbourhoods around the Halifax Regional Municipality.

Several U.S. cities have similar programs.