Drive Safely: Help Us Keep People with Disabilities Safe

Let’s work together to keep people with disabilities safe as they walk in our community.

A diversity of people walk through intersections in Ajax, many of whom have one or more disabilities that may or may not be visible. Many people need more time to cross the road and therefore should not be rushed or expected to sprint across the intersection.

When we drive safely, we create safer environments for people with disabilities to walk in Ajax to access essential services and opportunities, be active, support local businesses, as well as to connect and contribute to our community.

The purpose of this Driver Awareness Video Campaign is to build a culture of respect among drivers with a collective understanding of the capacities of and barriers encountered by pedestrians with disabilities crossing intersections. Further, this campaign serves to disprove the misconception that people with disabilities cannot benefit from walking (which includes the use of mobility aid devices). Watch the videos below to hear stories from community members with disabilities about their experiences walking across intersections.

The Town of Ajax works with the Region of Durham to improve intersections for people, including people with disabilities, to walk. In addition to these efforts, we also need help from drivers to keep pedestrians with disabilities safe.

In 2019, the Region of Durham conducted an analysis of fatal and injury collisions to develop its Strategic Road Safety Action Plan. This analysis found that intersection collisions are the most common type of collision followed by aggressive driving.

In 2021, after hearing about incidents of pedestrians with disabilities being struck by vehicles in the community, the Accessibility Advisory Committee expressed the need for greater awareness of pedestrians with disabilities crossing at intersections and were happy to work with and support Town staff on this video campaign in response.

Drive safely: Wait for our neighbours and visitors with disabilities to cross.

The Town of Ajax Driver Awareness Campaign centring Pedestrians with Disabilities was made possible thanks to funding from the Ontario Community Changemakers Fund—a leadership and micro-grant program powered by 8-80 Cities, funded by Balsam Foundation.