Date: Fri 18-Apr-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

police-Lysaght-pedestrians

Full Text:

Police Initiate A Pedestrian Safety Campaign

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

With the coming of spring and increased pedestrian traffic, Police Chief James

Lysaght, Jr, is mounting a pedestrian safety campaign.

"In order to provide a safer environment for citizens, the Newtown Department

of Police Services (NDPS) is initiating a campaign that will directly address

pedestrian safety issues," according to Chief Lysaght.

The police department's pedestrian safety campaign will include an educational

phase, as well as an enforcement phase, according to the chief.

The police chief said he wants to help parents educate their children about

pedestrian safety, as well as remind parents about their rights and

obligations as specified by the state laws on the movement of pedestrians and

motor vehicles.

"The police department will target identified problem areas (such as) Main

Street near Edmond Town Hall; Queen Street; (and) areas near schools for

immediate selective traffic enforcement," according to Chief Lysaght.

The education and enforcement program is planned to immediately improve

pedestrian safety in Newtown, the chief said.

The pedestrian safety program is part of a long-term education and enforcement

program designed to gain public cooperation and compliance with state traffic

laws, he said.

The police chief explained six applicable state traffic laws which will be

enforced as part of the pedestrian safety program.

Drivers shall grant the right-of-way, slow, or stop the vehicle they are

driving, if necessary, to grant the right-of-way to any pedestrian crossing

the roadway within a marked crosswalk. Failure to do so is punishable by a $78

fine.

Drivers of a vehicle crossing sidewalks shall yield the right-of-way to

pedestrians and all other traffic on the sidewalk. Violations are punishable

by $78 fines.

Pedestrians crossing roadways anywhere other than crosswalks shall yield the

right-of-way to vehicles on those roads. A violation carries a $60 fine.

Pedestrians must use sidewalks when they are available, provided that doing so

is practical. Violators will be fined $60.

When a pedestrian walks along a road without a sidewalk, he or she may only

walk on the shoulder and furthest from the edge of the roadway. A violation

carries a $60 fine.

When neither sidewalks nor road shoulders are provided along a road and the

road is carrying two-way traffic, pedestrians must walk as far to the left as

possible. A violation is subject to a $60 fine.