WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Police in Winter Haven are watching one busy intersection Thursday morning and pulling over drivers who fail to cease for folks strolling throughout.
Occurring now:
It’s a part of a high-visibility enforcement operation known as Operation Finest Foot Ahead, geared toward stopping pedestrian deaths as college students return to class.
Officers in plain garments are moving into the crosswalk at Avenue M NW and Unity Means NW. If a driver doesn’t yield, they’ll be pulled over and cited. The minimal penalty is $164 and three factors in your license beneath Florida regulation.
Why you must care:
Florida has one of many worst pedestrian loss of life charges within the nation, accounting for 11.1% of all pedestrian deaths nationwide, in line with federal visitors information. Greater than 7,300 pedestrians have been killed within the U.S. in 2021 alone. Lots of these deaths occur in broad daylight, and even in marked crosswalks.
In Central Florida, 4 persons are killed each week in pedestrian crashes, and 93% of the victims are native residents, not vacationers.
What’s driving the issue:
Consultants level to a mixture of rushing, aggressive driving, and huge, fast-moving roads. A 2023 coverage report from the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that youngster pedestrian deaths have elevated by 11% since 2013, significantly amongst youngsters aged 10 to 19.
The report additionally warns about distracted driving, and even distracted strolling, as main contributors to those crashes.
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Does enforcement work?:
Sure, and there’s information to again it up.
When the Finest Foot Ahead program launched in 2012, simply 17% of drivers yielded to folks in crosswalks. At the moment, that quantity has greater than doubled to over 50% on slower roads, in line with program organizers. On roads with velocity limits of 40 mph or increased, yield charges have jumped from 2% to 45%.
This system pairs enforcement with group schooling and low-cost engineering fixes to cut back accidents and deaths. Since its launch, officers have issued greater than 12,000 citations and warnings.
The Supply: American Academy of Pediatrics, Baby Pedestrian Security Coverage Assertion, July 2023; Finest Foot Ahead Coalition / Bike Stroll Central Florida Truth Sheet (Up to date Dec. 2023); Division of Transportation (District 5); FOX 13 Information reporting from Winter Haven.
