Visually impaired aim to increase their own visibility on White Cane Day

SARASOTA, Fla. - For the blind and visually impaired, the white canes they carry help them navigate daily life, For the blind and visually impaired, the white canes they carry help them navigate daily life, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

The white cane carried by Cooper Vollmer has become part of his daily life. 

"[It] can help me get around and help other people realize I can’t see," Cooper said. 

He hopes drivers will take notice. 

"If they’re just zooming really quick, I could be in the middle of the crosswalk, and they could hit me. They should slow down because I can’t see them," Cooper said.

He joined Sarasota police and the National Coalition for Safer Roads Friday to raise awareness for those who cannot see. 

"They deserve to be able to cross safely without worrying to meet an unsafe driver," said Melissa Wandall, with the National Coalition for Safer Roads.

Sarasota police say if drivers would slow down, they would see those who need the extra help.

"Everybody gets into a hurry. We are all guilty of it and if we just took a few extra minutes in the morning to make sure we were out the door on time when we got stuck at a red light, we wouldn’t be so impatient," Wandall explained. 

The cane Cooper and others carry signifies their strength and determination to overcome challenges. 

"He is breaking barriers, and he is doing all the normal things. And I think, ‘Of course he is,’" said Tina Vollmer, Cooper’s mother. 

She asks that everyone take note of the white cane and understand its importance and its purpose.

"Scariest thing about sending a visually impaired child out into that world is that you are forced to depend on complete strangers to help you look out for your kid," she said. 

The city of Sarasota is currently doing an assessment of all ADA public facilities and says it will make improvements to areas that need updating.