In a renewed effort to enhance pedestrian safety in the District of Columbia, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPDC) and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) over the next few weeks will be stepping up enforcement of traffic laws that pertain to pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.
"We want to send a strong message that failing to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks will not be tolerated," said Chief of Police Charles H. Ramsey. "Motorists need to understand that only a moment of inattention or distraction can take a pedestrian's life," he said.
The MPDC has received funding from DDOT to support overtime operations designed to combat pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities and injuries. Each year in the District, pedestrians account for an average of 14 fatalities and nearly 800 injuries. Eight pedestrians have been killed so far this year, and while no bicyclists have died on DC streets this year, four were killed in 2004, an all-time high.
The program, which will focus on speeding and aggressive drivers, is designed to alert motorists to the role they play in pedestrian safety. No less important, police will also be on the lookout for risky and illegal pedestrian behaviors, such as crossing against signals and disrupting the flow of traffic. Bicyclists who run red lights, ride the wrong way on the street, or ride on downtown sidewalks will also be targeted. Police will focus on intersections with a history of pedestrian and bicycle crashes throughout the city.