GPD is stepping up to keep pedestrians and bicyclists safe on Gainesville roadways
Press release from Gainesville Police Department
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists are more likely to result in fatal or serious injuries than any other types of crashes.
Since October, the Gainesville Police Department has increased the number of patrol officers to raise awareness and encourage a culture of safety on city streets by conducting high-visibility enforcement operations at locations with the highest number of traffic crashes resulting in serious or fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists.
So far, the Gainesville Police Department has produced the following results:
- 293 Bicyclist Contacts
- 768 Pedestrian Contacts
- 161 Motorist Contacts
Alachua County ranks in the top 25 counties in Florida for traffic crashes resulting in serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists. High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) efforts such as these are a crash mitigation tool designed to deter unsafe behaviors of all road users and increase voluntary compliance with traffic laws.
Funding for this program is provided through a contract with 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 pedestrian signals, and make sure you are visible to drivers when walking at night
“Contacts” are no more useful for prevention than slaps on the wrist for criminal violations. Money out of pocket would get around quickly and students and others would be more prone to follow the law. The violations persistently show drivers errors less than 10% of the bikers and walkers.
I’d appreciate them protecting my vehicle from distracted pedestrians and stupid cyclists who feel they don’t need to “share the road” as well. Throw in the people who don’t use crosswalks, drivers texting and speeding through school zones, motorcyclists riding wheelies, and every trip on the highway is a journey in self-preservation.
Pedestrians should use crosswalks where available. J walking is hazardous.
It was almost humorous to watch someone in black shorts and T shirt and a red head band wind between cars on NW 39th at Walmart about twenty feet from a cross walk that had traffic controls.
Bicycle riders seem to ignore the “RULES OF THE ROAD”. In many occasions they fail to stop for traffic signals. It appears to me that they pick and choose which rules to obey. I will probably be called names, however, You know who you are.
Riding at night in dark clothing and without lights is just foolish!
What are they going to do about that Midea lady who tried to run over the 14 year old white kid on his bike?
They need to revoke her license!
She coulda killed that kid!
Next time she might crash through a crowd at the arts festival or something with her road rage!
Need crossing guards around UF, remember these are children.
Let me know how that works out for y’all 😁
gpd is a joke