On October 15, White Cane Safety Day is observed around the world. In the United States, it is a national observance, which was first celebrated in 1964, after the proclamation by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
White Cane Safety Day celebrates the achievements of blind or visually impaired people. A white cane is an important mobility tool for such people as well as the symbol of their independence. Canes have been used by blind people for centuries, but the white cane was introduced in the early 20th century. Canes were painted white to be more easily visible.
In the United States, white canes were introduced and promoted by Lion Clubs International. The white cane is one of the symbols of a blind person’s independence at it ensures their ability to come and go on their own.
Please consider making White Cane Safety a project on or about White Cane Safety Day, October 15th and also including it with your other Community Service Projects.
An untrained person with a White Cane is a danger to themselves and others. Leader Dog for the Blind has an excellent, one week, Advanced Mobility Training Course (AMT) for training people to use a White Cane effectively & safely. Just as with Leader Dog training, there is no cost to the person for this training. for more information visit https://www.leaderdog.org/programs/orientation-and-mobility-training/.
State & Local Laws regarding the rights of people with White Canes and Guide Dogs are another important safety issue. “NC Gen Stat § 20-175.2 (2015) Right-of-way at crossings, intersections and traffic-control signal points; white cane or guide dog to serve as signal for the blind” is the state law in North Carolina that gives people who are blind and using a White Cane or Guide Dog the right-of-way at uncontrolled road and street crossings. It is important that the public and people using White Canes and Guide Dogs be familiar with this law. Read https://law.justia.com/codes/north-carolina/2015/chapter-20/article-3/section-20-175.2 for details.
Finally, it is important that the public become aware of common courtesy and etiquette towards people with a White Cane. A brochure outlining these can be found at White Cane Etiquette .
October is also Medication Safety Awareness for the Blind (MSAB) month! Hundreds of people across the US and Canada are participating in MSAB month, advocating for the safety of people who are blind, visually or print impaired by spreading the word about accessible prescription labels. Multiple blind organizations, support agencies, senior centers, and a multitude of groups including the Lions Clubs are holding events and activities to talk about and demonstrate ScripTalk talking labels, large print and Braille labels. From article on EnVisionamerica.com, maker of ScripTalk https://www.envisionamerica.com/medication-safety-awareness-for-the-blind-msab-month-helps-people-who-are-blind-visually-impaired/.