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The
foundation of a good traffic safety program is a strong and
continuous program to rid the streets of alcohol impaired
drivers. This will protect pedestrians along with everyone
else.
Real danger is created by the inattentive or indifferent driver.
Many are going to fast and fail to look out for pedestrians.
Danger to children comes from drivers going to fast near schools
or in neighborhoods where children live. Many of our streets
are designed to a "high" standard that allows for cars to
move fast. Sadly, one consequence of this is that kids can't
be near the street or are in danger of being killed.
It is impossible to police speeding on all the many miles
of residential streets in our cities. There are too few police
and too many speeding drivers. The real solution here is traffic
calming.
Police should vigorously patrol for speeding cars around schools,
an area where children are concentrated.
Motorist compliance with crosswalk right-of-way laws is often
poor. Officers should watch for these violations. Officers
should also be alert for crosswalk violations by drivers making
turns. The pedestrian "sting" tactic is an effective way to
combat these violations.
A deadly threat to pedestrians is created when a driver overtakes
and passes a car stopped at a crosswalk to let a pedestrian
cross. Officers who observe these violations should issue
a citation in every case.
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Police
holster their radar guns but stop and warn crosswalk speeders
in Snohomish, Washington (Oct. 5, 2002 -- In three
hours Friday morning, officers in nabbed some 60 drivers for
driving through a crosswalk while a pedestrian was walking
across the street. It was part of a sting designed to boost
awareness of pedestrian safety. Read the full article at:
seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/89909_crosswalk05.shtml
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