Carole A. Wilson, COMS

October 28, 2002

I wish to add my voice to the growing number of individuals with disabilities, and those of us who work with individuals with various disabilities ,to let you know the importance of having accessible pedestrian signals to ensure safety and independence for every pedestrian. I have worked in this field for over fourteen years, and despite the skill level of my students, or my ability to teach a student to cross at a busy intersection safely, having crosswalk signals adds to the degree of safety for everyone.

We have all had the experience of crossing a street, only to find that a driver has decided to beat the red light, go against the "no turn on red", or play a game of beat the pedestrian in the crosswalk. For someone who has a disability experiencing this lack of consideration from a driver, only decreases one's self confidence and desire to continue to be a an independent traveler.

To have access to crosswalk systems adds a sense of security for all of us. Making these crosswalks accessible to those who cannot use their total vision, or their ability to hear the flow of traffic, or locate the crosswalk activation light is imperative.

I implore you to support the measures taken by the American Council of the Blind to promote user friendly crosswalks for every pedestrian.

Thank you for your consideration and efforts in this matter.

Carole A. Wilson, COMS