Parks & Trails New York Studies Road and Trail Intersection Safety and Releases the Winning Stop, Watch, Walk! Public Service Announcement Video "Stop, Watch, Walk!" road and trail intersection safety campaign launched in Erie Canalway Trail communities With an increased emphasis on the benefits of physical activity, more and more people are using trails. Because many of those trails cross local and state highways, Parks & Trails New York launched a study designed to improve the safety at road and trail intersections across the state. The Safety Standards for Intersections of Roads and Trails Study is supported in part by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee with funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Parks & Trails New York is one of few organizations in the nation and the first in New York to study this emerging issue Road and trail intersections present unique hazards to both trail users and motor vehicles and are the most likely location for injury to users of the trail. Guidelines and recommendations for road and trail intersections do already exist but have not been universally accepted across New York or by different levels of government. Parks & Trails New York's goal is to highlight the importance of the issue and advocate for a more uniform approach to designing road and trail intersections in order to keep all trail users safe, while promoting the continued growth of trails in New York. The first phase of the study concluded with the release of the final report, Road and Trail Intersection Safety: An examination of present practice, recommendations for future actions. The report presents design and policy recommendations for improving road and trail intersection safety, including additional public safety education for motorists, trail users, and law enforcement officials; changes or clarifications in crash reporting policies and Vehicle and Traffic Law as it applies to trails; and improvements in road and trail intersection design. As part of the study, Parks & Trails New York surveyed nearly 2,000 trail groups, highway superintendents, and government officials to learn more about existing road and trail intersection design and the occurrence and nature of crashes at road and trail intersections. The executive summary of the report is available here. “Stop, Watch, Walk!” - Second phase of study focuses on public education Collisions between trail users and motorists are not accidents. They are crashes that can be prevented. By enjoying a trail responsibly, everyone can make an important contribution to the safety of other trail users. As a motorist, being alert and watching for trail intersections can help save lives. To promote the safe and responsible behavior of trail users and motorists at road and trail intersections, Parks & Trails New York, in conjunction with the New York State Canal Corporation, launched its "Stop, Watch Walk!" safety education campaign. The "Stop, Watch, Walk!" campaign has two main messages: For trail users: Stop at road and trail intersections. Dismount if you are a cyclist. Watch for cars, even if you are in a striped crosswalk. Make sure drivers see you before walking across. For motorists –Watch for trail users when approaching an intersection. The law requires you to yield to a pedestrian or dismounted cyclist within the crosswalk. Parks & Trails New York is using news releases, colorful information cards, articles in trail organization newsletters, and the televised public service announcement (PSA) featured below to deliver its message to the 14 counties along the Erie Canalway Trail. The Canalway Trail was chosen because of its high visibility, public recognition, and relatively large volume of trail traffic. "I Saw the Sign" Lyons Junior and Senior High School wins the Stop! Watch! Walk! Public Service Announcement Contest Parks & Trails New York's 29-second public service announcement (PSA) is entitled “I Saw the Sign.” It was prepared by high school seniors Mylika Pritchett, Brittany McCray, and Dan DeWolf at the Lyons Junior and Senior High School in response to Parks & Trails New York's PSA contest. The PSA contest was open to the 275 schools in the 14 counties that border the Erie Canal. Through the contest, Parks & Trails New York wanted to give students the opportunity to have their work presented in the real world and help deliver the messages of road and trail intersection safety to young people, especially new drivers. The Lyons school was presented a $500 prize which the school will use to purchase much needed equipment for their fledgling broadcasting program. The students' PSA will be aired on television stations in major media markets in Canalway Trail communities. The PSA was funded in part by the National Traffic Safety Administration with a grant from the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee. The Stop, Watch, Walk PSA is featured below. Click inside the viewer to start the video. The “I Saw the Sign” Stop, Watch, Walk! public service announcement video was distributed to broadcast television stations in the Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo markets. Below is a listing of stations in each market that may be airing the PSA. To view the PSA on television check local listings or contact your local station for air dates and times. A link to each station's webpage is provided. City Station Albany WNYT-TV 13 Albany WTEN-TV 10 Albany FOX 23 Albany WRGB-TV 6 Buffalo WGRZ-TV 2 Buffalo WKBW-TV 7 Buffalo WIBV-TV 4 Buffalo FOX 29 Rochester WHEC-TV 10 Rochester WHAM-TV 13 Rochester WROC Rochester FOX 47 Syracuse WSTM-TV3 Syracuse CBS 5 Syracuse FOX 68/WSYT Syracuse News Channel 9 WSYR The “Stop, Watch, Walk!” Safety Campaign focuses on public education Collisions between trail users and motorists are not accidents. They are crashes that can be prevented. By enjoying a trail responsibly, everyone can make an important contribution to the safety of other trail users. As a motorist, being alert and watching for trail intersections can help save lives. To promote the safe and responsible behavior of trail users and motorists at road and trail intersections, Parks & Trails New York, in conjunction with the New York State Canal Corporation, launched its "Stop, Watch, Walk!" safety education campaign. The "Stop, Watch, Walk!" campaign has two main messages: For trail users: Stop at road and trail intersections. Dismount if you are a cyclist. Watch for cars, even if you are in a striped crosswalk. Make sure drivers see you before walking across. For motorists –Watch for trail users when approaching an intersection. The law requires you to yield to a pedestrian or dismounted cyclist within the crosswalk. With an increased emphasis on the benefits of physical activity, more and more people are using trails. Because many of those trails cross local and state highways, Parks & Trails New York launched a study designed to improve the safety at road and trail intersections across the state. The Safety Standards for Intersections of Roads and Trails Study is supported in part by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee with funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Parks & Trails New York is one of few organizations in the nation and the first in New York to study this emerging issue Road and trail intersections present unique hazards to both trail users and motor vehicles and are the most likely location for injury to users of the trail. Guidelines and recommendations for road and trail intersections do already exist but have not been universally accepted across New York or by different levels of government. Parks & Trails New York's goal is to highlight the importance of the issue and advocate for a more uniform approach to designing road and trail intersections in order to keep all trail users safe, while promoting the continued growth of trails in New York. Home