FDOT District 7 Safety Newsletter
October 6, 2025
Tips Tuesday: Auxiliary Lanes and Zipper Merges
November 5, 2025
| White Cane Safety Day reminds drivers that pedestrians with a white cane or guide dog have the legal right of way. Extra patience and awareness can make a difference in keeping someone safe. It is important that you see them since they cannot see you. National School Bus Safety Week calls attention to the importance of stopping for school buses, slowing down in school zones, and watching for children crossing the road. Both observances emphasize that driver responsibility is key. Whether approaching a crosswalk or a school bus stop, staying alert, obeying the law, and being ready to yield helps ensure everyone gets home safely. Together, these reminders reinforce Florida’s commitment to zero fatalities and serious injuries on Florida’s roadways. Raising Internal Awareness: No matter what office you officially call ‘home,’ we all can play a role in supporting safety White Cane Safety Day (October 15): Alert Today Florida has partnered with the Florida Division of Blind Services and the Florida Department of Education to raise awareness of this important day and the White Cane Law in Florida. 👨🦯➡️Utilize the White Cane Safety Tip Card to foster awareness. 👨🦯➡️Click here to download the White Cane Safety Day informational bookmark. School Bus Safety Week (October 20–24): Share this important reminder with your teams and communities. 🚌Print and distribute the attached tip card to encourage safe driving behaviors around school buses. 🚌Explore the NHTSA School Bus Safety Week resources. In the Community: Grass-roots outreach efforts greatly improve safety messaging effectiveness – these one-on-one conversations have far-reaching impacts White Cane Safety: International White Cane Safety Day is an opportunity to increase awareness about the meaning of the white cane. When you see a pedestrian using a white cane, remember that it… Signifies that the pedestrian using it is blind or visually impaired. Alerts motorists to exercise special caution and provide the user with the right-of-way. Symbolizes the independence, confidence, and skills of the person using it. School Bus Safety: According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), illegal passing of stopped school buses remains a serious issue amongst our communities nationwide. This NHTSA guide explores how the Safe System Approach can help reduce these violations. In Your Everyday Life: Even when you’re not ‘on-the-clock,’ there are ways to improve safety culture in Florida A common theme across both observances is the importance of coming to a complete stop. Taking the extra moment to fully stop at intersections, crosswalks, and school bus stops is one of the simplest, yet most powerful, actions drivers can take to prevent crashes. The benefits of a complete stop include: Allows for a full assessment of the intersection. Stopping provides time to scan for cross traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists. A rolling stop or quick glance increases the risk of overlooking students or less visible road users. Protects vulnerable road users. A full stop is critical for pedestrians, especially children boarding or exiting school buses and the visually impaired. Rolling stops create uncertainty and put people at risk of serious injury. Ensures predictable traffic flow. When all drivers obey the rules of the road by stopping completely, it creates a predictable and orderly traffic environment. Early. On time. A little late. Just get there safely. Practice patience and stay chill behind the wheel. Visit this webpage for additional resources on how to help make drive time YOU time. Both White Cane Safety Day and National School Bus Safety Week serve as important reminders that every decision matters when it comes to protecting vulnerable road users. Whether you’re reviewing plans, attending meetings, responding to emergencies, or simply commuting to and from work, your awareness and actions matter. Florida’s Target Zero initiative is built on the belief that fatalities and serious injuries are preventable, not inevitable, and it’s going to take all of us to reach that goal. Thank you for being part of this mission! Savannah & the Target Zero Team |
