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Sheriff's Deputies, OPD Target Drivers at Pedestrian Crossings


February 4th, 2013 | WMFE, Orlando- Central Florida drivers beware- failing to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk could net you a $164 fine. That's the message from the Orange County Sheriff's office and Orlando Police, who are targeting dangerous drivers this week.

Undercover officers will pose as pedestrians at crosswalks throughout Orlando over the next three days, beginning this morning with South Semoran Blvd and Curry Ford Rd; and E. Michigan St. & N. Orange Ave

Drivers who don’t yield will get a warning, or a fine and three points docked from their license.

In the past year, a coalition of law enforcement agencies, schools, healthcare providers and local governments has been trying to change driver behavior through advertising, low cost engineering and enforcement- like this week’s operation.

The Best Foot Forward coalition says drivers are now yielding to pedestrians more often. On roads where the speed limit is 35 mph or less, 48% of drivers yield for pedestrians in marked crosswalks, compared to 12% when the campaign began more than a year ago. 

For higher speed roads, the change has not been as dramatic. On roads where the speed limit is 40 mph or higher, the yield rate went from 1.4% to 5.4%.

And in spite of the improvements, the crash rate is still high. In Orange County, 36 pedestrians were killed and 534 injured in collisions with motor vehicles in 2013. That’s compared to 38 deaths and 537 injuries the year before. 

 

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