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Gainesville Police Department participates in High Visibility Enforcement Program to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety

Press release from Gainesville Police Department

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alachua County ranks in the top 25 counties in Florida for traffic crashes resulting in serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists. To help reverse this trend, the Gainesville Police Department is participating in the Florida Department of Transportation High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) Program aimed at educating motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians on Florida’s traffic laws to improve safety on city roads.

Starting this month through May 2025, the Gainesville Police Department will have additional officers on patrol at specific corridors with a high occurrence of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes. Special attention will be directed towards increasing awareness of the dangerous behaviors that are contributing to serious and fatal injuries at these locations. Officers will look for drivers speeding, failing to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, conducting improper turns or signal violations, and using hand-held devices while driving.

Officers also will watch for pedestrians who cross the street illegally or fail to yield to motorists who have right-of-way. Bicyclists will be stopped for riding against traffic, riding at night without lights, or not abiding by the same laws as motor vehicles. Officers will issue warnings and citations only when appropriate.

“Whether you are on foot, behind the wheel, or on a bike, you have a responsibility to share the road safely,” said Sgt. Valdes of the Traffic Unit. “Understanding the rules of the road helps ensure we all arrive at our destination safely and makes our streets safer for everyone.”

Funding for this program is provided through a contract with the University of North Florida’s Institute of Police Technology and Management (IPTM), funded by the Florida Department of Transportation. The Gainesville Police Department will receive funds for overtime hours for officers to conduct operations and for special training on Florida’s bicycle and pedestrian laws, procedures, and best practices.

To keep the public safe, the Gainesville Police Department offers the following tips when biking, driving, or walking:

  • Drivers: obey speed limits, never drive impaired, and always watch for pedestrians and bicyclists
  • Bicyclists: obey traffic laws, ride in the direction of traffic, and use lights when riding at night
  • Pedestrians: cross in crosswalks or at intersections, obey traffic signals, and make sure you are visible to drivers when walking at night
  • Come watch Main St.
    Give me a badge and I’ll write 10 more citations than any GPD officer.

  • Here’s a tip for GPD: why don’t you arrest the fricken BUMS that are illegally panhandling on 1ft’ wide medians all over the city, or actively WADING INTO TRAFFIC on the corner of 13th & University or Archer & 34th every other day during rush hour?

    To clarify: why don’t you arrest them instead of driving right by them and pretending you don’t see them, like I see you do constantly?

    The bums just turn away slightly and suddenly *poof* they are magically invisible to police. Maybe the military should research this technology.

  • Start ticketing all the folks on bikes who run thru red lights. Most do.

  • All this feel good visibility for safety sake dog & pony show has been done many times before.
    Cops work it overtime for sure. Pull over a targeted vehicle, oh no! There are narcotics in the car.
    Well pooh. Another felony arrest (looks good on my eval) maybe saved another student from getting hooked on this crap.
    Pedestrian safety, is that why we are out here?
    I’ve seen it first hand folks, that’s how it’s worked.

  • No program like this is complete unless it includes the new fourth dimension of traffic danger: the electric standup scooter. They combine the most dangerous aspects of a bike and a pedestrian into entirely new safety threat.

  • I am going to suggest that city officials have a conversation with my friend, Dr Prizzia who is a county commissioner. Dr. Prizzia seems to have an interest in mechanical devices which helps with safety issues. Thanks again

  • There’s a sub-culture of people who cross 50 feet from intersections. I’m not sure why, other than maybe they are tired of holding up their pants to walk an additional 80′.

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