In 2010, to mark the back-to-school season, we did something unprecedented.
We partnered with the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation and the District of West Vancouver to launch Canada’s first 3D illusion geared towards making drivers slow down at high-risk intersections.
Pavement Patty, a temporary 3D illusion of a small girl chasing a ball, was installed for one week on the road northbound at 22nd street in West Vancouver. This intersection is a high-risk area, as it is a main connector between Highway 1 and Marine Drive and also located near a busy school, Ecole Pauline Johnson. A sign that read, “You’re probably not expecting kids to run out on the road,” alerted drivers to the illusion. You’ll be pleased to know there were no crashes at that intersection while Patty was installed.
The 3D illusion reminded people to shift their attitudes, and drive as though they expect a child to run into traffic at any time. Printed in weatherproof, skid-proof vinyl and installed on the pavement directly in front of elementary schools, the installation “comes to life” as drivers approach it, grabbing their attention in a way that a straightforward “Slow Down” sign simply can’t.
Pavement Patty was the first of its kind in Canada. We didn’t anticipate that this stunt would give us as much buzz as it did—it was so popular, we brought her back in 2018. We still receive requests about Patty today, from TV stations and news outlets all over the world, including France, Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. She’s even featured in social marketing textbooks.
But we never forget the reason why we thought of Pavement Patty in the first place: because we just wanted people to slow down in school zones.
View an video of Pavement Patty in action:
