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Police and lawmakers pledge to begin crackdown on vehicle, walking laws
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(Andrew Harnik/Examiner)
Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty watches the crosswalk sign carefully to make sure he has the right of way as he crosses the street on Thomas Circle on Tuesday. Area motorists and pedestrians now have a financial incentive to follow local traffic laws. Local government leaders and police chiefs pledged Tuesday to improve pedestrian safety by stepping up enforcement of the safety laws governing interaction between motorists and walkers. Officers also will spend more time educating residents about the laws. The region’s fast growth has added thousands of walkers to the sidewalks and thousands of vehicles on the roads, a potentially lethal combination. In the District of Columbia, for example, nine pedestrians have been killed in the first three months of this year, compared to 17 in all of 2006. Pedestrian deaths in Montgomery jumped from seven in 2005 to 18 last year. “Aggressive driving and total disregard for pedestrians must stop,” Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett said. To toughen enforcement, officers will monitor busy intersections and hand out warnings to violators. In some cases, wrongdoers will get a ticket with a financial penalty. Motorists driving in D.C. can be fined $50 for offenses such as failing to yield the right of way. Bicyclists face $25 fines for transgressions including riding in the wrong direction, running red lights and riding at night without a light. Pedestrian violations, such as crossing against the traffic signal, carry $20 fines. “We have to make sure this is a pedestrian-friendly city,” D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty said. “We should make sure our police departments are enforcing the law so pedestrians feel safe.” Several local officials said pedestrian safety is becoming even more important as local governments encourage development that maximizes mass-transit use, such as projects near Metro stations, that also add to the pedestrian population. “We need to have more walkable communities to combat traffic, congestion and global warming,” Arlington County Supervisor Chris Zimmerman said. “We need to create an environment that will be safe for walkers.” jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com |
