• Town of Darien Pedestrian Safety

Mission Statement

Slow Down In Town is a community awareness campaign that seeks to promote pedestrian and bicycle safety by raising awareness of and promoting respect for all users of our roadways. Through education and publicity about safe road sharing, we hope to eliminate pedestrian and cycling accidents in our town.
Slow Down In Darien

Be Safe No Matter How You Get There

  • We’re all busy and trying to get to places (work, school, activities. events) as quickly as possible. Many times, while we’re on the road, we’re also trying to keep up with the news of the day, stay in touch at work, or return calls to our parents, children, and other members of our families.

    All these distractions lead to dangerous conditions for everyone who uses the roadways in our wonderful community.

  • The Slow Down In Town campaign seeks to promote greater awareness for the safety of pedestrians, children, and cyclists by encouraging everyone who uses a vehicle to drive a little slower, pay more attention while they’re behind the wheel, and respect all those who walk, run, and cycle along the roadways in our community.

  • If we all work together, we can make our roads safer by being more patient while we’re driving, using our horns less, and looking out for each other so we can reduce pedestrian and cycling accidents.
Be Safe: Slow Down in Town
Motorists: Slow Down In Darien

Motorists: Slow down; It’s Best For Everyone

Why are so many people so careless when they drive their cars on the same narrow roads that are being used by pedestrians, children, and cyclists?

Studies show that a car moving as slow as 10 miles per hour can severely injure a cyclist or pedestrian. That fact alone should make anyone driving a vehicle be more cautious when they approach a pedestrian or a cyclist. Even the slightest contact by your vehicle could send a walker or rider to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The responsibility goes both ways. In today’s world of electronic devices, walkers and riders who are listening or viewing mobile devices can be distracted just as much as drivers. A walker who can’t hear an approaching vehicle because they are wearing headphones or earbuds are just as responsible for their safety as the approaching driver.

Darien’s downtown area is a unique challenge. Drivers use the Post Road as a cut through when traffic on Interstate 95 slows; ongoing redevelopment projects add large construction vehicles to the mix that can impede traffic and test the patience of daily commuters; there are high school-age drivers who are learning to maneuver in traffic in preparation for getting a license; and let’s not forget about the many pedestrians who risk their own safety by crossing the Post Road without the aid of a crosswalk.

The situation requires all users (drivers. pedestrians and cyclists) to be more aware of their surroundings and use caution.

News & Events

Our first awareness campaign – Th!nk Smart Before You Start – started in December 2021 at Darien’s Middlesex Middle School.
Slow Down In Town Campaign Gets Underway in Darien

The town’s second traffic awareness campaign got underway in June and its focus was again on getting motorists to reduce their speed…

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It’s important to Slow Down in Town this summer!

The Town of Darien and officers from the Darien Police Department are doing their part to spread the word about Slow Down In Town…

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A message from Darien’s First Selectman

Monica McNally talks about the success of the Th!nk Smart Before You Start campaign and how the safety message would continue into 2022…

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Children and town officials celebrate the start of our campaign

Darien Police Commissioner Brent Hayes, First Selectman Monica McNally, Selectman Sarah Neumann, members…

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Pedestrians: You need to walk with your guard up

In our neighborhoods, there are always people out walking or running. There are children and parents walking to bus stops or schools; people getting their dogs and themselves out for a morning stroll; runners getting in a morning workout before heading out to work; or people walking to and from the two Metro North stations in town.

Walkers and runners should not expect drivers to be looking out for their safety: they need to take responsibility for their safety as well.
Pedestrians have responsibilities too. They need to use sidewalks if they are available; walk in single file into oncoming traffic if no sidewalk exists; use crosswalks when available and follow intersection signals; try to make eye contact with motorists and cyclists if attempting to cross a roadway; and take advantage of intersections where crossing guards are stationed during school hours. Pedestrians who walk while using electronic devices need to be aware that the devices can distract their attention and leave them vulnerable to dangerous situations.
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Town of Darien Affiliations

Support these Darien public safety organizations in the campaign to increase awareness of pedestrians and cyclists in our community.

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First Selectman's Office
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Darien Police Department
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Darien Town Hall

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Slow Down In Darien
Cyclists: Slow Down In Darien

Cyclists: You’re required to observe same rules as motorists

The law says cyclists have the same rights as motorists and are responsible for knowing the rules of the road. In downtown areas, cyclists aren’t allowed on sidewalks and are expected to stop at traffic signals just like motorists. The roads in rural areas require cyclists and motorists to coexist, despite the extreme difference in size. Cyclists need to be vigilant because no matter how careful a driver may be, there are other factors that can contribute to a life-altering situation. In cold conditions, roadways can be slick from moisture and ice, which limits the usable portion of a road. Sudden maneuvers to avoid wet or icy spots in the road can put cyclists in the crosshairs of an approaching vehicle, even if the motorist is giving the cyclist as much room as possible. In warmer weather, roadways become overgrown with vegetation, one again limiting the amount of usable roadway.

It calls for caution from cyclists and motorists.

Crosswalk: Drivers, cyclists need to respect the people in them

It’s the responsibility of a motorist to stop and allow a pedestrian to cross a roadway if the pedestrian is waiting at a crosswalk. All drivers are guilty of not noticing a pedestrian who is waiting to cross a street. By slowing down and paying more attention, drivers in Darien can make it easier and safer for pedestrians to cross roadways and get to their destinations.

Once a pedestrian is in a crosswalk, they should NEVER let their guard down. Statistics show that thousands of pedestrians each year are struck in a crosswalk so it’s important to look both ways for approaching vehicles before you step onto the street. This is even more important at night.

At night, pedestrians should use a flashlight to alert approaching cars to their presence, or wear a reflective vest or bright clothing that can be noticed easily. Here’s another obvious tip: avoid looking at your electronic devices or wearing headphones and earbuds.
Crosswalks: Slow Down In Darien

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