RSSOrlando Police Crack Down on Drivers Who Fail to Yield to Pedestrians
Law enforcement officials in Central Florida are tired of our area’s reputation for pedestrian accidents. More than 8,000 people are injured in pedestrian accidents in our state every year, and regular readers of this blog know that the Orlando metropolitan area is among the most dangerous places for these accidents in the country. Last summer, this blog featured a post about a joint effort between Orlando Police and Orange County Sheriff’s Office called “Operation Best Foot Forward.” When the new program began last June, officers and sheriff’s deputies began handing out warnings to drivers who failed to yield to pedestrians.
The warnings included pedestrian safety information and the sobering statistics that one person is killed and at least two people are injured in Orlando area pedestrian accidents every week. The warning period of the program is over, and law enforcement officials in the area have now started writing tickets to drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office recently set up an undercover crosswalk checkpoint near the 1900 block of Oakridge Road to observe drivers’ behavior. The checkpoint involved one detective dressed in street clothes who attempted to cross the road in a clearly marked crosswalk. In only one hour, observing officers wrote 36 citations, and half of the drivers receiving citations also received fines for failing to yield to the undercover officer.
Sgt. Tony Molina of the Orange County Sheriff’s motor unit reported that in 2012, vehicles struck 17 pedestrians as they crossed the 1900 block of Oakridge Road, also known as the "Oakridge corridor."
Molina hopes that stepped-up enforcement will encourage drivers to take pedestrian safety more seriously. He said, "Any time we start seeing these signs that show pedestrian crosswalk it should be an attention getter for people to say ‘hey, you know what somebody might pop out let me slow down.’"
Mr. Cunningham and other Orlando pedestrian accident lawyers applaud the officers’ efforts and any other measures that make Orlando-area roadways safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. If you or a member of your family has been injured in a pedestrian accident, you may be entitled to seek damages against the driver and his or her insurance company. For more information about the law, your rights and your legal options, schedule a free consultation with Mr. Cunningham by calling 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587) today!
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.