ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — Sheriff Ken Mascara announced Wednesday that the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office will conduct high-visibility education and enforcement operations in areas with high traffic crashes to protect the safety of motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.
According to the sheriff, the operation, named Operation Look Both Ways, will kick off Tuesday, Aug. 16.
Deputies will distribute bicycle light kits and educational material at two locations along U.S. 1 in Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie.
“Impaired and distracted drivers traveling at high levels of speed are a major safety concern for pedestrians and bicyclists,” said Sheriff Mascara. “Pedestrians and bicyclists can reduce their risk of being hit by a vehicle by staying alert and following the rules of the road."
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said traffic crashes contributed to 3,332 deaths in 2020. More than 21% of those who lost their lives on Florida roads were pedestrians and more than 5% were bicyclists.
Operation Look Both Ways is supported by the Florida Department of Transportation's Florida Bicycle Pedestrian Focused Initiative.
For more information on Florida’s pedestrian- and bicycle-focused initiative, click here.