February 23, 2012

Police enforce jaywalking law to curb fatalities 

Look both ways before crossing the street – that’s a no brainer; wait for a signal to indicate it’s safe to cross at intersections – fair enough; always use the crosswalk, never jaywalk – um, do I have to? The answer is yes, unless you want to receive a citation. 

The Austin Police Department’s Pedestrian Enforcement Safety Team -- also known by the acronym PEST -- is handing out tickets to jaywalkers, unyielding motorists and cyclists alike in response to an increase in pedestrian-related traffic fatalities.  

Auto-related collisions claimed the lives of 18 pedestrians on Austin’s streets this year, more than twice the 2010 number, Lt. Ely Reyes of the Austin Police Department told the city’s Public Safety Commission in early November. Sixteen of the 18 deaths were determined to be the fault of the pedestrian.

As part of the recent pedestrian enforcement initiative, Reyes said police targeted hazardous intersections, top crash sites and areas where pedestrian crossing is prohibited to raise public awareness about the dangers facing pedestrians and to reduce future fatalities.

Since the initiative began on October 23, 2011, Austin Police issued more than 900 citations to pedestrians and cyclists, 200 citations to motorists and 400 warnings.

Reyes said ticketing all roadway users, including pedestrians, is the best way to curb injuries and fatalities. The number of citations this year remains much lower than the 8,000 issued in 2007, the deadliest year for pedestrians with 24 fatalities.

Although the ramped-up enforcement ended Veteran’s Day weekend, Reyes said police will continue to be vigilant and target problem areas throughout the remainder of the year.

 

November 30, 2011

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Police enforce jaywalking law to curb fatalities

A sharp increase of pedestrian-related fatalities this year has led police to ramp-up enforcement to keep Austinites safe -- even if it's just a matter of crossing the street.

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