White Cane Safety Day will take place on Sunday, Oct. 15. In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson first proclaimed Oct. 15 as White Cane Safety Day.

This special day originally served as a safety reminder to promote courtesy and special consideration to people who are blind and navigating America's streets and roadways. Since this first observance, White Cane Safety Day has taken on greater meaning as a time to celebrate the self-sufficiency of people who are blind or visually impaired and their right to participate fully in society.

Every year, Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania, a nonprofit agency for the blind and visually impaired serving Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, and Perry counties, recognizes the importance of White Cane Laws and salutes the greater independence of persons in the blind community.

Pennsylvania's White Cane Law states, "The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to any totally or partially blind pedestrian carrying a clearly visible white cane or accompanied by a guide dog and shall take such precautions as may be necessary to avoid injuring or endangering the pedestrian and, if necessary, shall stop the vehicle in order to prevent injury or danger to the pedestrian."