NHP: Increased and Targeted Enforcement Planned for Crosswalk and Pedestrian Violations

In light of the recent accidents involving pedestrians who have been struck and killed and the fact that pedestrian-related crashes in Douglas, Lyon and Washoe Counties were higher in 2011, as opposed to the previous year, troopers from the Nevada Highway Patrol will be concentrating their enforcement efforts on pedestrian and crosswalk violations over the next several weeks*.
Troopers will be at various intersections in Northern Nevada specifically looking for drivers who do not yield for pedestrians wishing to cross at crosswalks as well as identifying pedestrians who choose to cross a street unsafely or by jaywalking.

In an effort to illustrate awareness and education prior to the enforcement wave, our agency would like to provide a few simple, yet very important, safety reminders to all motorists and pedestrians:

For the Pedestrians:
Be certain to only cross a street or highway in a marked crosswalk
Make sure that each driver approaching the intersection is yielding or has stopped for you before entering the street or crossing the entire roadway--especially on multiple-lane roadways
Even when you have the signal to cross safely, scan both directions of travel and look for moving or approaching vehicles
Don’t assume that every driver will see you in a crosswalk and be aware of all approaching traffic
Be extra careful when crossing the road at nighttime and especially when there is little or no lighting

For the Motorists:
Pay attention at all times when operating a motor vehicle with special emphasis near intersections and marked crosswalks for pedestrians who may be crossing the roadway
If you notice a vehicle in the adjacent or opposing lane slow down or stop, ask yourself why? There may be a pedestrian crossing the street that you don’t see or another type of roadway hazard not immediately visible
When making a left or right turn at an intersection, always check to be certain that no one is attempting to cross the road adjacent to you
Do not change lanes near an intersection where a motorist immediately in front of you is slowing down or stopped

* Nevada Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS).