Posted on: Sunday, September 26, 2004
Safety at premium at seniors' fair
By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer
If you want to attract a throng of senior citizens, try sticking a wheel of fortune in front of them.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser Among the hundreds of exhibits offering Good Life Expo tips, one of the most popular from the opening bell on Friday has been the Walk Wise Kupuna booth — part of a Pedestrian Safety Campaign for Senior Citizens sponsored by the city and state transportation departments and the Honolulu Police Department.
Throughout the Expo a steady stream of folks lined up to keep the wheel twirling and clacking. Prizes included a "Think Safety — Act Safely" litter bag, a "Give Seniors A Brake" visor, and a "Brake for Red" bumper sticker.
"Pedestrian Steps to Safety" offered at the Walk Wise Kupuna booth, sponsored by the city and state transportation departments and the Honolulu Police Department: • Cross the street only at the corner or crosswalk. • When crossing at a lighted intersection, be sure to use the pedestrian signal button and wait for the walk light indicator. • Walk on the sidewalk if there is one; if not, walk on the left side of the roadway facing traffic. • Wear bright or light-colored clothing when walking or jogging at night. • Watch for cars backing out of driveways. "I took the test," announced a beaming Peter Arita, 78, of Kalihi Valley, as he clutched his winning booty for passing the exam: a red flashing Walk Wise Kupuna pin that can be worn on the lapel at night and seen by drivers from a distance.
Arita's quiz was a True/False question: "Most accidents occur between dusk and dawn."
"I said it was true," he said. "That was correct."
Chief question asker was HPD police officer K.C. Kawaa.
"The toughest question is 'Which ethnic category has the highest pedestrian fatalities — A. Hawaiian, B. Caucasian and C. Japanese,' " he said. "The answer is C.
"The easiest one: 'Is it OK to begin crossing the street when the cross light is blinking — true or false?' That one's false."
Behind all the fun and games was one serious concern: Fully 66 percent of pedestrian fatalities are people 60 or older. The largest age group of pedestrians killed on the road is people between ages 70 and 79.
The Walk Wise Kupuna program is intended to educate drivers as well as senior pedestrians.
The Hawai'i Seniors' Fair continues today from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
And today is the last chance to take a spin of the wheel at the free, three-day 20th Anniversary Hawai'i Seniors' Fair at the Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall.
Priscilla and Mike Hong, of Hawai'i Kai, cross South King Street at Victoria Street after visiting the Hawai'i Seniors' Fair at the Blaisdell Center. Over his shirt pocket, Mike Hong is wearing a blinking reflector that he received at the Walk Wise Kupuna booth. The fair continues today from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
What the prizes actually were seemed to matter less than the simple act of spinning the wheel. To illustrate how much this form of entertainment apparently means to some seniors, one of the prizes was a "test."
The basics of pedestrian safety
