DOT Launches New Campaign To Get Pedestrians And Drivers to "LOOK!"

The New York City Department of Transportation teamed up with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to announce the relaunch of the "LOOK" safety campaign. LaHood joined DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan this morning at the intersection of 42nd Street and 2nd to unveil the new advertisements and features of the campaign. The campaign, which originally launched in 2006, has revamped and now includes new features aimed at both drivers and pedestrians. According to the DOT [press release](http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2012/pr12_46.shtml), the original campaign targeted motorists and pedestrians, specifically those on bikes. The relaunch of the campaign works with the DOT's other safety education efforts that try to reach several modes of transportation using the same message. [caption id="attachment_56436" align="alignright" width="325" caption="LaHood and Sadik-Khan point to the curbside warning. (Photo courtesy of Gothamist)"](http://nypress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/091912look2.jpg)[/caption] The "LOOK" campaign features advertisements on buses, street furniture, phone kiosks, and bus shelters, as well as other outdoor locations. The ads are designed to alert both drivers and pedestrians to oncoming traffic, according to the press release. The campaign also includes street markings warning pedestrians to look before crossing the street. The brainchild of international design consultancy [Pentagram](http://www.pentagram.com/work/#/all/all/newest/), the markings show the word "LOOK," with the O's doubling as eyes looking at street traffic. The curbside markings already appear in 110 intersections throughout the city. According to Gothamist, LaHood expressed hope at the launch this morning that the campaign would spread to other cities. Sadik-Khan said that the DOT will monitor the campaign's progress using before and after comparisons of injuries at each location marked with the "LOOK" sign. The Commissioner also said that the DOT is working closely with the New York Police Department to make street safety a higher priority for both New York civilians and local government. Gothamist reports that Sadik Khan hopes to educate people on the importance of looking for traffic. "Everything we can do to get New Yorkers to pay attention is a success. Again, one death is one death too many," Sadik-Khan said at the launch.   By Tatiana Baez