Torrevieja town hall has begun the placement of pictograms at pedestrian crossings to help those with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
The first pedestrian crossings were painted in the areas surrounding local schools, and later the project will be extended to the entire municipality of Torrevieja.
The project was presented this week by the Councillors for Police and Education, led by Federico Alarcón and Ricardo Recuero respectively. The initiative has come about thanks to an agreement signed by the town hall with the TEAVIAL Association (Education, diversity and road security for all). Ricardo Recuero has indicated that these pedestrian crossings with pictograms are part of a larger project that aims to make Torrevieja more accessible and friendly for everyone.
The zebra crossings will have various blue pictograms, a color that symbolizes autism, on top of the white bands that will allow people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to understand the basic traffic rules of the city.
The pictograms indicate STOP, LOOK, CAR STOPPED, TRAFFIC LIGHT or CROSS, and aim to put people with ASD on alert so they know that they have to look both ways to check that no cars are coming, or ahead if there is a traffic light and then cross carefully.
Federico Alarcón, Councillor for Police, indicated that the objective of these pictograms is that people can cross more safely, making the city more accessible and inclusive, since they are not only useful for autistic people but also for any child or person with functional or cognitive diversity.
To develop the project, the TEAVIAL Association has provided the Torrevieja City Council and the city’s schools with a didactic guide that explains the meaning of the pictograms and the importance of the integration of people with autism.