WE 4 YOU
There are thousands of chances for vehicles and pedestrians to cross each other’s way. According to current statistics, at least one car accident out of ten involves pedestrians. This leads to a huge social and human cost because running over a person has among the most serious consequences of all accidents - one fatality out of seven, thus a higher percentage, involves pedestrians, not to mention cases where people are not killed but permanently injured. People who have to stop on motorways for emergency reasons become pedestrians themselves. Moreover, ASTM-SIAS Motorways are scat- tered with service stations and parking areas with cafes and other services, where pedestrians are obviously found.
We do our best and mark out such areas, putting markings and signs to protect pedestrian lanes. Now it’s up to you to comply with the law when you are a pedestrian, i.e., walk only on pave- ments, bays, boulevards and spaces designed for that purpose. If there are no such spaces, or they are cluttered, impracticable or in- sufficient, you must walk cautiously and attentively and be aware that although you have the right to be there, drivers may be less attentive than usual sometimes.
When you are driving, remember that the others’ health and safety depend on you and your behaviour, which should never be aggres-
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sive. On the contrary, stop and let pedestrians walk across the road every time you can do it safely, try and protect them with your car, which is clearly more visible for other vehicles.
When?
Every time you are a pedestrian or you cross a pedestrian
on your way.
What?
If you are a pedestrian, walk in the spaces provided for that
purpose and always have a defensive attitude...when you are in your shoes - don’t take for granted that the vehicles comply strictly with the rules provided for your protection, because drivers may be tired, inattentive or even altered by forbidden substances.
If you are a driver, then you are protected by the mass and plate of your vehicle, but the others are not. If you don’t want to run the risk to become a killer, then grab the wheel of your life seriously.
Why?
Pedestrians, cyclists (who cannot ride on motorways but who pay a very high toll in Italy as road casualties, just as high as all motorways), and bikers are the weakest category of road users, and this is why they deserve and need to be given special attention. When remember that you are a pedestrian every time you’re walking. When you’re driving remember that what you have in your hand is a potential weapon that kills tens of thou- sands of lives in Europe every year.