Local students to cheer on their safely crossing peers

Parachute’s Project Gearshift students to use guerrilla tactics at crosswalk

(TORONTO), Sept. 4, 2013. Student ambassadors at Northern Secondary School in Toronto are taking a new angle when it comes to changing pedestrian behaviour. They will be applauding those who use the crosswalk. Students participating in Parachute’s Project Gearshift, a national teen driver safety campaign, will be encouraging youth to use crosswalks outside their high school. They will do this by ushering pedestrians across the road at rush hour, applauding their efforts. This guerilla marketing campaign uses positive reinforcement to raise awareness, with further messaging once the pedestrians have crossed the road. Several weeks ago, the Northern students identified pedestrian safety as a critical issue in their busy neighbourhood, an issue which is tragically current.

Aligning with the back to school rush, Northern Secondary School students are committed to keeping their peers safe. This is an example of the peer leadership activities available on www.projectgearshift.ca, allowing students to take part in this national campaign. The activity, called Pause for Applause, will be taking place on Thursday morning, September 5, from 8:00-8:30.

About Project Gearshift

Project Gearshift is a project of Parachute, a national injury prevention organization. Project Gearshift aims to increase knowledge around teen driver issues while inspiring action and change. This fall, youth, teachers and community members are leading activities to create shifts in thinking and behaviour. Parachute will be hosting the first ever National Teen Driver Safety Week, October 20-26th, to raise awareness around the issue and increase national support. For more information, visit www.projectgearshift.ca.

About Parachute

Parachute is a national, charitable organization dedicated to preventing injuries and saving lives. Parachute officially came into being in July 2012 and unites the former organizations of Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada, SMARTRISK and ThinkFirst Canada into one leader in injury prevention. Parachute’s injury prevention solutions, knowledge mobilization, public policy, and social awareness efforts are designed to help Canadians reduce their risks of injury while achieving Parachute’s vision of an injury-free Canada where Canadians enjoy long lives lived to the fullest. For more information, visit www.parachutecanada.org.

All media interested in attending should contact Alex Kelly, Parachute, at akelly@parachutecanada.org to arrange for interviews with students.

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