Pedestrians can be cited for not crossing at the crosswalk?

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I was pleased that somebody is doing something, but then I read that line and I wonder what they are doing.

Law-enforcement officers throughout Orange County are conducting targeted traffic details today at locations that have a high rate of pedestrian and bicyclist accidents.

The enforcement is intended to bring a heightened awareness to both drivers and pedestrians. The focus is on three age groups: elementary, high school and young adult/college students.

Some of the intersections that are being targeted: University Boulevard at Forsyth Road; Orange Center Boulevard at Ohio Avenue; and Orange Center Boulevard at John Young Parkway.

According to the Community Traffic Safety Team, an Orange County crossing guard was recently killed when a driver failed to yield the right-of-way as the guard helped elementary children cross the road. Also, two other Orlando crossing guards were struck in hit-and-run incidents.

The effort began Tuesday and will conclude today.

Numerous violations have already been issued to both drivers and pedestrians, said Sheryl Bradley, chair of the Community Traffic Safety Team.

Pedestrians can be cited for not crossing at the crosswalk. Bradley said it is important pedestrians know there are laws they have to obey.

The majority of pedestrian and bicyclist accidents result from jaywalking, failing to use designated crosswalks, darting between parked cars and crossing mid-block, according to the Community Traffic Safety Team.

19 replies
  1. Steve A
    Steve A says:

    It’s like the campaign to reduce accidents with Amish buggies. New rules for the buggies to protect them from motorist sailing over those hill crests. Life from behind the windshield…

  2. Grayson Peddie
    Grayson Peddie says:

    I do use crosswalks all the time, except when I was stopping at the bus stop to get in the bus and when the bus driver did not stop for me to get in and I have class starting in about 30 minutes, I had to walk all the way through Valencia College Lane using the sidewalk, go through the underpasses, walk in the grass, through the sidewalk, and when I can’t get any further due to the drainage system that’s blocking the sidewalk, I had to look for cars both ways to make sure that it’s clear and run across to get to the other sidewalk. I did this once last semester and I will not do this again.

    I know– I know this is dangerous and I will keep this in mind. I do use a cane and I’m visually impaired despite that I’m very lucky not to be injured. Because I’m about 10 minutes of walking distance away from the bus stop from an apartment complex, I plan to take the bus 1 hour to 1 and a half hour from when the class starts so that I won’t miss a class. I don’t like having to take a bus early on advance, but oh well…

  3. Nancy
    Nancy says:

    “The majority of pedestrian and bicyclist accidents result from jaywalking, failing to use designated crosswalks, darting between parked cars and crossing mid-block, according to the Community Traffic Safety Team.”

    This doesn’t seem correct to me [especially, lumping cyclists in with pedestrians]. I would love to see the statistics that the Community Traffic Safety Team used to come up with this assertion.

    • Eric
      Eric says:

      Particularly since they just had 3 crossing guards mowed down. I doubt that the crossing guards were darting anywhere.

  4. Mighk
    Mighk says:

    The statement “Pedestrians can be cited for not crossing at the crosswalk” is misleading. See my comment at the Sentinel page.

  6. fred_dot_u
    fred_dot_u says:

    Way down at the bottom of the poorly formatted page, I find this:

    The statement “Pedestrians can be cited for not crossing at the crosswalk” is somewhat misleading.

    Florida Statute 316.130 (10) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
    (11) Between adjacent intersections at which traffic control signals are in operation, pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.

    So this means pedestrians may cross the street at points other than at a crosswalk, as long as he or she yields to traffic on the roadway. Only between “adjacent signalized intersections” are pedestrians prohibited from crossing mid-block.

    Furthermore, most crosswalks are UNMARKED. There are crosswalks at all sides of every intersection, — and motorists must yield at them — whether they are marked or not.

    At signalized intersections yielding requirements are determined by the signals.

    Mighk Wilson
    Bicycle & Pedestrian Planner
    Metroplan Orlando

    Mighk737 (02/04/2010, 5:21 PM )

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    How many deaths and injuires did it take for the cops to finally do this??? They waste so much time on roads that don’t matter. Let’s get a clue. All the news stations have done great reports detailing the roads with the most accidents and then overlaying the maps with the places cops are stationed….the maps do not even come close to overlapping.

    oh_boy_so_lame (02/04/2010, 4:03 PM )

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    I was very happy to see 2 motorbike police this morning @ 50 & Avalon Park Blvd. The drivers coming from Avalon Park onto WB 50 didn’t dare block the intersection this morning!! Ha Ha Ha!! Since the opening of that intersection, traffic on WB 50 has sucked every single morning!!

    Carmen374 (02/04/2010, 9:55 AM )

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