State Representative, Heartland Council of the Blind to Promote White Cane Safety Awareness Oct 15

OKLAHOMA CITY ─ State Rep. Anastasia Pittman will walk blindfolded with Heartland Council of the Blind members, other visually impaired Oklahomans and sighted supporters for White Cane Safety Awareness Day on Friday, Oct. 15.

Rep. Pittman wants to find out what it's like to travel without sight.

This year marks the fifth time that the Heartland Council of the Blind has organized the Oklahoma City event, which was first established nationally by presidential proclamation in 1964. The goal is to draw public attention to the meaning of white canes with red tips used by people with visual impairments and publicize related travel safety issues. Those who use dog guides will also participate.

The public is invited to join the group at 10:15 a.m. on the corner of Mickey Mantle and East Sheridan near Spaghetti Warehouse in Bricktown. Plans include crossing East Sheridan to experience audible traffic signals, which verbalize traffic information, and eating lunch as a group in the Bricktown area.

Participants will include staff and clients of Visual Services, a division of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) that provides employment and independent living services for Oklahomans with visual disabilities.

“We are going to come armed with literature and signs to let people know how vitally important white canes and dog guides are to the safety of citizens with vision impairments,” Rep. Pittman said. “Our goal is to save lives and promote independence, and I want to personally challenge our elected and appointed officials – policemen, city council members, county commissioners and state legislators - to participate with us in White Cane Safety Awareness Day.


Approximately 18,000 Oklahomans are legally blind and may be potential white cane or dog guide users, according to Sandi Webster, the president of the Heartland Council of the Blind. In spite of advancing technology, she says the traditional white cane is still a vital tool enabling people who are blind to travel safely and independently.

“We’ll get a glimpse up close and personal of the challenges that citizens with disabilities face every day,” Rep. Pittman said. “That should motivate us to make Oklahoma City and our state more accessible and disability-friendly by eliminating obstacles that we can correct.”

Under Oklahoma law, only blind people may carry white canes, or white canes tipped with red, which are universally recognized as mobility aids for people with vision impairments.

Legal blindness occurs when vision is 20/200 or more in the better eye with the best possible correction, or the visual field is restricted to 20 degrees or less.

“Oklahoma law requires drivers to completely stop their vehicles 15 feet away from pedestrians who are visually impaired and identified by their use of white canes with red tips or dog guides," Rep. Pittman explained. “People who violate this law are guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to three months or $100 fine or both.”

In 2002, the Oklahoma legislature lengthened the stopping distance from three to the 15 feet currently required by state law.

The same law protects people who are deaf or hard of hearing using signal dogs identified by bright orange collars and those with physical disabilities using assistance dogs.

“I hope to assist in educating the public about blindness and other disabilities at future events and look forward to working with other organizations for people with disabilities,” Rep. Pittman said.

The Heartland Council of the Blind is an organization of blind, visually impaired and sighted people from central Oklahoma who socialize, discuss issues related to visual impairment and advocate for a better quality of life. Heartland Council is a chapter of the Oklahoma Council of the Blind, an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind.

For more information about White Cane Safety Day or Heartland Council of the Blind, contact Public Relations Director Vicky Golightly at (405) 740-6227 or email vgolight@yahoo.com.

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