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| New ODOT materials |
Still, it's good to see a focus on making the streets safe for people on foot and educating drivers about the crosswalk law.
The Traffic Control Unit conducting a ped crosswalk safety campaign next week + video-recording the violations: http://t.co/Kj4v4TKPSb
— Salem Police Dept. (@salem_police) September 11, 2015
From the release:With children returning to school and daylight hours getting shorter, pedestrian safety issues become even more important. As a result, the Salem Police Department traffic unit will be conducting pedestrian safety enforcement and education campaigns throughout the City next week.During a similar project at the beginning of June Police documented lots of jay driving:
The campaigns will utilize plain clothes officers who will be crossing streets at crosswalk locations throughout the City, and video cameras will be used to record violations. Those who are contacted will be able to view the violation on video.
Oregon law requires all drivers to stop prior to entering a crosswalk for pedestrians who are crossing the street in a marked or unmarked crosswalk. Drivers are required to stop if a pedestrian is either in the lane in which the driver's vehicle is traveling or in a lane adjacent to the lane in which the driver's vehicle is traveling.
Marked crosswalks may be located at or between intersections and are recognized by solid or dashed white lines. Oregon Law also states that every intersection should be considered to have a crosswalk, whether marked or not. Additionally, a vehicle may not legally pass another vehicle that is stopped at a marked or unmarked crosswalk for a pedestrian. Failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk and for passing a stopped vehicle at a crosswalk are class B violations and carry a fine of up to $260.00.
This safety campaign is in partnership with Oregon Impact in order to address pedestrian and crosswalk safety through education and enforcement.
On June 8, the Salem Police Department conducted a Pedestrian Enforcement Project in NE Salem from 0730-1330. During that six hour period, 97 citations and warnings were issued. Of those citations and warnings, 65 were for failing to yield to a pedestrian in marked crosswalks.Update, Monday the 14th:
The Salem Police Department Traffic Control Unit conducted this pedestrian safety project today near the intersection of Summer St NE and Hood St NE earlier today. This location is in close proximity to Grant Community School as well as the Boys and Girls Club. This location was also chosen due to complaints received and also due to its proximity of a fatal pedestrian/vehicle crash earlier this year.
During the project, officers stopped 66 vehicles and cited 63 of those drivers for Failure to Stop and Remain Stopped For a Pedestrian in a Crosswalk. There were 30 other citations issued for various other violations such as Driving While Suspended, using a cellular phone while driving and no insurance. There was also one person arrested on an unrelated warrant.
3 comments:
Updated with results. Interestingly it's consistent: 97 stops or citations in June, 106 today.
It's almost like there's a constant, but unreported, amount of jay-driving!
The NEN minutes from November 17th have news about an enforcement action at 15th and Market:
"In 4-1/2 hours 60 tickets were given for failure to yield to pedestrians. [Some] Drivers were [also] rear ended for yielding."
It has notes on an action at Commercial and Columbia with a marked crosswalk.
(Finally, it is interesting that a traffic officer also admitted "Do not worry about 5mph only over posted speed sign. Concerned about significant speeding issues." So the 5mph overage is generally regarded as not important.)
Here's another enforcement action - though it was mostly "education" because the paint was worn down, as if it wasn't a "real" crosswalk. From the Salem PD:
"The Salem Police Department Traffic Control Unit conducted two vehicle-pedestrian safety campaigns on March 10, 2017. The goal of these safety campaigns is to enhance safety in our community through education to both pedestrians and vehicle operators. Locations are chosen based on crash and complaint data received by the department.
The locations designated for the campaigns on March 10 were the 1400 block of Center St NE and the intersection of Edgewater St NW/Kingwood Dr NW.
As officers were preparing for the campaign, it was noted that the crosswalk markings on Edgewater St/Kingwood Dr were worn and not as visible as other markings in the area. Although Oregon law states that every intersection should be considered to have a crosswalk whether marked or not, officers chose to focus on education of drivers found to be in violation at that location. Drivers were contacted, educated on the law and were also provided with educational materials in English and Spanish. Officers have also conducted safety campaigns aimed at educating pedestrians on their responsibilities as well.
During the campaign on March 10, 81 drivers were contacted for various violations, 72 of which were pedestrian-related. Of those 72 drivers, only seven were issued citations, with 65 receiving education and warnings. There were 25 warnings and 29 citations issued for other violations.
The Salem Police Department will also be working with the Public Works Department to address markings at intersections when appropriate, and will also continue to work on education and enforcement projects to enhance traffic safety."
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