The Town of Hempstead is pleased to be joining he Automobile Club of New York in supporting its first annual "Trim a Shrub for Safety" campaign. The campaign is designed to improve neighborhood traffic safety and will run through the end of September. It seems that these days you sometimes need X-ray vision to see through the shrubbery blocking some traffic signs along our roadways.

Traffic signs and sidewalks which are blocked by branches and shrubbery are safety hazards. The goal of AAA and the Town of Hempstead is to encourage residents to trim shrubs and hedges on their property, especially those that obscure stop signs, yield signs, and street signs, to name just a few, or those that block sidewalks. Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians alike will benefit from signs that are more visible, and sidewalks that are more usable. Simply survey your yard to see whether your shrubs are blocking any traffic signs or restricting sidestreet visibility. Sidewalks and walkways should also be kept clear of shrubbery and branches.

Overgrown shrubs can easily become a traffic safety problem. We urge homeowners to trim them as part of their regular yard upkeep. Be sure to look for branches that hide signs in front of your home; plants that obstruct side street visibility; and shrubs that extend into the sidewalk.

The Automobile Club of New York is located right here in Garden City. If you would like more information, posters or bookmarks to inform your friends or co-workers about the problem of overgrown shrubs, please contact them at 1415 Kellum Place, Garden City, NY 11530, Attention of Traffic Safety. Or you can call them at 746-7730.

On behalf of all the members of the Hempstead Town Board, I urge you and your neighbors to become involved in this worthwhile campaign. By doing so, we can make our streets safer for everyone who uses them. Remember to trim a shrub for safety. You may save a life.