Hannah Galt
February 14, 2013
Photoblog
While most people do not think of traffic lights and painted
crosswalks as elements of public health in our community, I believe that these
safety precautions play a more significant role than we realize. In Athens in particular, many people rely on
walking for transportation. I, for one,
do not own a car so I have come to truly appreciate pedestrian crosswalks and
lights like the one pictured. Promoting
and maintaining a community in which walking is a safe and low-stress mode of
transportation encourages people to walk rather than drive their car or ride a
bus. Not only is this cost-efficient and
better for the environment, but it is also a way for people to get more
physical exercise. Thus, more physical
exercise leads to improved health. The
newer pedestrian lights have the button that walkers push as well as a beeping
sound that notifies those who are blind when it is safe to cross the
street. I have even heard about an
instance in town in which a lady in a wheel chair was not able to reach the
button. Local government authorities
were contacted and the button was quickly relocated at a more appropriate
height. Making these advancements to
serve more members of the community spreads the impact of elements of public
health. This particular pedestrian light
is located at the intersection of Thomas Street and Hancock Avenue. The pedestrian crosswalks around campus and
in downtown Athens have a tremendous impact on the flow of traffic and the safety
of all pedestrians.
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