White Cane Safety Awareness Day Rally Held in October

OKLAHOMA CITY – A little-known state law requiring drivers to stop their vehicles 15 feet from individuals who are blind or visually impaired will be recognized by the Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired's National White Cane Safety Awareness Day. The event will be held Oct. 15 beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 300 NE 18^th Street.

SBVI is a division of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.

“This is one of those state laws Oklahomans should remember every time they get behind the wheel,” DRS Executive Director Sterling Zearley said. “Those who are blind or visually impaired use a white cane for safety and independence. That’s why this day of recognition is so important, helping us all remember our friends and neighbors who use a white cane depend on us to do our part in keeping them safe.”

State law requires drivers to completely stop their vehicles 15 feet from pedestrians who are visually impaired and identified by their use of white canes with red tips or dog guides. People who violate this law could be found guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to three months, a $100 fine, or both.

Oklahoma law also stipulates that only blind people may carry white canes with or without red tips, which are internationally recognized as mobility aids for people with vision impairments.

This year’s rally will begin with a ceremony at the OLBPH and follow a route walking toward the state Capitol along Lincoln Boulevard. A governor’s proclamation will be read, and walkers will hand out cards with a summary of the Oklahoma White Cane law.

White Cane Safety Awareness Day was first established by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. The first white cane laws were drafted around that time, and today, similar laws exist in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In 2025, DRS’ SBVI provided career counseling, employment, technology, training and job placement services to 1,330 Oklahomans and helped 115 find employment. Those who became employed earned an annual average of $31,915 and paid $4,787 in annual taxes.

Contact Elizabeth Scheffe, 405-522-3359 or EScheffe@okdrs.gov, or Deborah Trout, 580-616-7908 or DTrout@okdrs.gov, with questions about SBVI’s White Cane Safety Awareness Day.

For information about programs offered by SBVI, phone 800-845-8476 to reach the nearest office or visit https://oklahoma.gov/okdrs/job-seekers/sbvi.html. 

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