Slow Down Campaign - Safe Communities Madison-Dane

Slow Down Yard Sign Campaign

Thanks to our sponsors American Family Insurance and AAA Wisconsin, Safe Communities is able to provide slow down yard signs to neighborhoods (both formal associations and informal groups of neighbors), law enforcement agencies, and individuals, free of charge. It is a campaign to make our streets safer by posting “slow down” yard signs, stepping up speed enforcement, staffing speed boards, and organizing other neighborhood and community activities to reduce speeding. Slow Down Yard Signs are available year-round at participating law enforcement agencies, American Family Insurance agents and AAA Wisconsin locations.

Are you concerned about speeding or vehicles operating at inappropriate speeds in your neighborhood or near your school?

Effective campaigns have been held for several years throughout the Madison and Dane County area. You can take action in your neighborhood by following some of the simple ideas and suggestions offered below, and downloading the related documents to learn more about organizing a Slow Down Campaign, how to effectively place signs, notify neighbors and the media, and more!

Why is the Slow Down Campaign Important?

The faster vehicles travel, the more likely crashes are to occur and the more severe injuries will be. Children are especially vulnerable due to their smaller stature.
If a child pedestrian is hit by a car traveling at 20 mph, 5% are killed, most injuries are slight, and 30% suffer no injuries at all. At 30 mph, 45% are KILLED and many are injured. At 40 mph, 85% ARE KILLED.
According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, pedestrian injuries are the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 5 to 14. Each year in the United States, nearly 900 children ages 14 and under die from pedestrian injuries and another 24,000 are injured in traffic-related crashes.