Fred
Casson Creates Safety Apparel
By
Susie Davidson
Advocate
Correspondent
JAMAICA
PLAIN - The recent tragic and unnecessary deaths of bicyclists in Cambridge and
Brookline have regrettably brought to light the imperative need to ensure
safety for non-motorists.
Indeed,
the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA)’s chilling statistical scenario for 2001 cites
85,000 pedestrians injured and 4,900 killed in U.S. traffic accidents, with 700
bicyclist deaths incurred from motor vehicle crashes. This translates soberly
into a pedestrian being killed in a traffic accident every 107 minutes.
Further, of all children between the ages of five and nine killed in
traffic-related accidents, 24 percent were pedestrians.
With
a new school season approaching, what parent doesn’t fear for their
departing children, whether they are on bike or on foot? What bicycle commuter
doesn’t entertain a shuddering thought, each time he/she makes that first
daily revolution, that this ride could be their last? It’s an
uncomfortable reality.
Enter
Fred Casson of Jamaica Plain, president of CautionYield. Casson, in the wake of
these recent fatalities, has created a line of both safety apparel and accessories
which are designed to protect children, elderly walkers, pedestrians, bladers
and inline skaters, joggers, road workers and anyone else who might be out on
the road. “The key to safety,” he says, “is simply to be seen
and recognized before anything happens.”
Casson,
a Newton native, graduated from the Cambridge School of Weston and Boston
University. His father, the late Judge Abraham B. Casson, who was born in
Russia, represented Roxbury’s Jewish community as its State
Representative in 1926, 1928 and 1930. He was appointed to the bench of the
Municipal Court of Boston in the early 40's.
“My
family belonged to both Brookline’s Temple Ohabei Shalom, where I had my
bar mitzvah,” he recalls, “and Boston’s Temple Israel, where
I was confirmed and both my daughter and son were named.”
After
a visit to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., Chasson, a painter and
amateur chef who entertains for all the Jewish holidays, was inspired to paint
canvases with strong Jewish themes. But road safety remains his current cause.
Casson
believed the recent deaths were largely due to the failure of the colliding
motorists to see the cyclists in time. As the NHTSA has concluded that
visibility is highest when fluorescent colors are worn, Casson’s day-glo
articles are bright and bold, and he incorporates images similar to traffic
signs onto his T-shirts, sleeveless jerseys, tank tops and sweatshirts.
“Wearing white simply isn’t enough,” he says.
Obviously,
when moving vehicles are involved, the potential for injury or death is all too
real, and a few seconds can make a critical difference.
Casson
has joined CautionYield into a corporate partnership with SafeNeighbors
(safeneighbors.org), an organization which seeks to promote national
neighborhood safety. By focusing upon increased awareness, mindful watching and
safety measures such as the wearing of high-visibility clothing and reflective
accessories, the group aims to reduce not only accidents, but kidnappings and
other grievous occurences. Casson donates a portion of CautionYield sales to
SafeNeighbors.
“These
tragedies can be avoided,” he affirms.
CautionYield
safety wear can be purchased either through cautionyield.com or by calling
800-568-0048.