The Ames Police Department is hoping to #MakeItNone this week.

Challenging Ames’ drivers to put their phone down and keep their eyes on the road, the Ames Police Department is asking citizens to focus on safety and respect while driving, and be accident-free Monday through Friday. 

“No one ventures out hoping to collide with another vehicle, cyclist or pedestrian, but how hard do we try not to,” the department posted on its Instagram. “If we all do our part, can we be accident free for the week?”

This initiative, called Bike, Walk, Drive Smart, is part of the Spring Campaign that both the Ames and ISU police departments are hosting. Throughout the month, they have been raising awareness for sexual assault and diversity and inclusion.

To encourage safety on all platforms, the Ames Police launched a website on Thursday that contains information specific to driving, walking and biking safely.

With an emphasis on respect, the campaign implements several techniques on how to be a safer pedestrian, driver and biker.

This includes: riding safely and obeying traffic laws, keeping one’s eyes up, signaling to others, maintaining visibility, crossing only at marked sidewalks and taking one’s time, according to the website.

Eric Snyder, community outreach officer in the Ames Police Department, said they really wanted to increase the respect between travelers.

“Just respecting each other and doing things that show respect instead of things that show disrespect,” Snyder said.

The campaign was first discussed this past fall after the issue was noted as a long-term struggle in the city, Snyder said.

“We got a lot of positive feedback from the theme, so we decided to grow it. And we created videos, we created a website,” Snyder said. “And we’re going to continue to build on it from there.”

As for the #MakeItNone, Snyder said that even if there is only one accident, two or even 10 this week, they still made a difference because it’s a lot less than they usually see and a good start to continuing down the right path.

Weather permissible, the police departments will host events at the following places throughout the week:

• Tuesday – UDCC at Iowa State from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Tuesday – Ames Middle School from 3 to 4 p.m.
• Wednesday – South Duff Avenue and South 5th Street from 4 to 5 p.m.
• Thursday – Fellows Elementary School from 3 to 4 p.m.
• 4/22 – Ames High School from 2:45 to 3:15 p.m.

“We really think it will be successful because it focuses on something that everyone can relate to – respect,” Snyder said. “Everybody wants to be respected, and everybody feels disrespected at times. So, the theme of respect is something, it doesn’t matter who you are, that relates [to you].”