EMBARK OKC and NewView Oklahoma Recognize White cane safety day

EMBARK OKC and NewView recognized White Cane Safety Day on Friday, October 13th, to call attention to travel safety for the blind and visually impaired independently navigating the transit system. NewView employees rode the bus throughout the day to highlight the significance of the white cane as a tool of independence and mobility for people who are blind or visually impaired.

“The safety of our customers is the top priority at EMBARK. Traveling safely depends a great deal on visual cues or signals between other drivers, cyclists and pedestrians,” said Jason Ferbrache, administrator of EMBARK. “Making our community safer and more accessible means calling attention to the white cane and what it represents for our visually disabled friends, neighbors and colleagues. We want to help ensure that everyone can confidently and safely travel throughout Oklahoma City.”

The International White Cane Day, established on the initiative of the World Federation of the Blind, is celebrated worldwide annually on October 15th with the mission to educate the world about blindness and how the visually impaired can live and work independently with the aid of the white cane. It is also an opportunity to demonstrate how the visually impaired give back to their communities, celebrate the abilities and successes achieved by blind people in a sighted world and honor the many contributions made by the visually impaired.

“The white cane gives the blind and visually impaired the freedom to travel independently to participate more fully in the life of their communities,” said Lauren Branch, NewView president and CEO. “With Orientation and mobility training, people using the white cane can enjoy greater mobility and safety by determining the location of curbs, steps, uneven pavement, and other physical obstacles in their way.”