State DOT Aims for Eyeballs in Latest Traffic Safety Messaging

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) wants to pedestrians to make eye contact with drivers before crossing the road. So much so, that they dressed staffers up in large eyeball costumes and sent them out to the streets to prove the point.

A press release further drives home the point:

Of the 1,433 pedestrian-related crashes and fatalities in Colorado last year, approximately 60% of drivers were at fault, leaving pedestrians at fault 40% of the time; a statistical reminder that everyone on the road can help prevent pedestrian-related crashes. This week, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) announces a pedestrian safety campaign targeted at both drivers and pedestrians. The campaign employs the tagline “Awkward Eye Contact Saves Lives – Heads Up At Crosswalks” and incorporates media placements around the state where awkward eye contact tends to occur, i.e. bathroom stalls.

Dan Daru reported on the new traffic safety campaign, with additional footage for television of people dressed with large eye masks on their heads demonstrating the CDOT's recommended behavior for crossing the street.