Fairfax Teen Comes Up With Low Cost Approach To Boost Pedestrian Safety

FAIRFAX (KCBS) -- A Fairfax teen has come up with a low cost approach to help pedestrians get safely from one side of the street to the other.

"The idea, it's kind of like a be-your-own-crossing-guard type of thing," Emma Lauter of Fairfax told KCBS's Jeffrey Schaub.

Emma's bright idea was to place bright orange flags attached to wooden dowels at two locations in town. Anyone who wants to cross the street at an intersection can pick up a flag and carry it as they walk. When they get to the other side of the road, they place the flag in a container there.
"It was foggy, and I was walking to the bus stop, and I just didn't feel safe," Emma said.

Emma, who is 13 by the way, says she went to the city about two years ago to bring her idea to life. She says it seemed like forever, but eventually the mayor helped her make it happen.

"I got a great response all around, like we haven't gotten any negative comments," Emma said.
She hopes to expand the flag program to other locations.