Bolivia takes zebra crossing literally for road safety
These zebras are part of a road-safety awareness campaign called Zero Urban Educators
LA PAZ (Reuters) - Zebras are on the loose in La Paz’s chaotic streets. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the city’s snarling traffic, they wave their hooves to help people cross roads and seek to raise awareness amongst drivers to stop at traffic lights and give way to pedestrians.
These zebras are part of a road-safety awareness campaign called Zero Urban Educators. They scold drivers for any transgressions in a humorous and positive way.
Twenty-two-year-old Susan Limachi has been working as a zebra for some three years. She told Reuters getting this carrot rather than the stick approach to tackling La Paz’s notorious streets is working.
The programme is supported by local authorities in La Paz. There are some 100 zebras in the city with many of them at-risk youth that have been recruited as part of a rehabilitation programme. Zebras receive a stipend for their work and are given workshops on their jobs, as well as on civic education. They also visit schools and are on promotional safety campaigns.
Such is the success of La Paz’s zebras, the programme has been rolled out now to four cities in Bolivia.
