Cartoon Tuesday: Tales From the Dark Side (of the Road)
The UK Department for Transport's no-holds-barred THINK! road safety campaign isn't just for adults. This creepy toon, one in a series designed to influence how kids interact with auto traffic (here's another), encourages bright colored clothing in favor of "trendy" darker tones when walking at night.
By
Brad Aaron
3:10 PM EDT on March 17, 2009
The UK Department for Transport’s no-holds-barred THINK! road safety campaign isn’t just for adults. This creepy toon, one in a series designed to influence how kids interact with auto traffic (here’s another), encourages bright colored clothing in favor of “trendy” darker tones when walking at night.
These spots bring to mind a number of questions. Is it possible to preach pedestrian safety to pedestrians without, even by implication, downplaying the responsibility of drivers? And when it comes to kids, is it possible — or responsible — to teach anything other than “Fear the car”?
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog New York City
State Bill Would Stop Highway Expansions Near Vulnerable New Yorkers
Assembly Member Emerita Torres's Stop Highway Community Harm Act would ban the state from expanding highways within 200 feet of public housing or in ZIP codes with the highest asthma-related emergency room visits in the state.
April 3, 2026
Study: How Capping Vehicle Sizes Could Help Save the World
...and why a multi-pronged transportation reform strategy is critical to curb climate change, slash road deaths, and more.
April 3, 2026
Friday’s Headlines: Margin For Terror Edition
The trendline for carnage is going the right way. But it ain't zero. Plus other news.
April 3, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: Civil Rights, Civic Transport
Let's talk about "disparate impact" — and why the Trump administration wants to gut it.
April 3, 2026
Breaking: Hit-And-Run Driver Kills Woman on Deadly Ocean Avenue
The victim was taken to Maimonides Hospital, where she died. The driver fled.
April 2, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.