Sacramento police will be watching today for motorists who don't stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. The department will conduct its first crosswalk sting of the year at undisclosed times and places in the city, police said.
Police said that an officer will stand at the side of the road, make eye contact with the driver, and then begin to walk across the road at the crosswalk. If the motorist fails to yield, a motorcycle officer will pull the driver over and write a citation.
In 2010, 158 vehicle accidents involving pedestrians occurred in Sacramento. Ten of the accidents were fatal, police said. In August, Sacramento police handed out 47 tickets in a crosswalk sting.
In Sacramento, drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians at the intersection of roadways – whether the crosswalk is marked or unmarked – and at any designated midblock crosswalk. However, pedestrians must exercise due care while in the crosswalk.
Pedestrians in the roadway must yield the right of way to drivers at any point other than at an intersection or within a marked crosswalk.
Safe Kids USA provides these pedestrian safety tips:
• Try to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them. Do not assume that because you can see the driver, the driver can see you.
• Look left, right and left again when crossing, and keep looking as you cross. Walk, do not run, across the street.
• Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.