WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — October marks the second annual National Pedestrian Safety Month and the West Palm Beach Police Department is stepping up patrols on the road.
The City of West Palm Beach accounts for three of the top 10 intersections across Palm Beach County where series and deadly crashes occur involving pedestrians and bicyclists.
The West Palm Beach Police Department will conduct High Visibility Enforcement Details from October through next May.
Areas of enforcement include:
- Broadway Ave (39th st-48th)
- 45th Street (East Ave to Greenwood)
- 45th Street (Military Trail to Congress Ave)
The police department is reporting that those locations experience the highest volume in traffic crashes resulting in serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists.
Enforcement efforts will focus primarily on education to drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
However, violations may result in warnings or citations depending on the circumstances
Earlier this year, the Governors Highway Safety Association projected that 6,721 pedestrians were killed on U.S. roads in 2020 – a 4.8% increase from 2019 despite a drastic drop in miles driven.
Officials say that’s an average of 18 people struck and killed while walking every day last year.
The trend of unsafe driving has continued into 2021.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a total of 8,730 people were killed on U.S. roadways in the first quarter of 2021, a 10.5% increase compared to the same period last year.