With more pedestrians expected on the roadways as students enjoy spring break next week, Henderson Police officers are cautioning motorists to be extra vigilant about pedestrian safety during an enhanced enforcement effort that continues through March 31.
Henderson Police will be joined by other area police officers for this Joining Forces enforcement effort that targets intersections with clearly marked crosswalks using saturation patrols looking for motorists not paying attention to pedestrians in crosswalks and pedestrians not crossing streets safely or legally.
To prevent accidents involving vehicles and pedestrians, Henderson Police are offering the following safety recommendations for all who use the road.
For drivers:
- Always yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. Every intersection where two streets meet is a legal crosswalk, whether or not it is marked.
- Stop well back from a crosswalk to give other vehicles an opportunity to see the crossing pedestrians so they can stop, too.
- Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. They are stopped to allow pedestrians to cross the street and it is against the law to pass.
- Remain stopped until pedestrians have crossed all the lanes in the direction you are traveling, or they reach the median.
For pedestrians:
- Walk on a sidewalk or path as far from traffic as possible.
- Pay attention to where you’re going – distracted walking can be just as dangerous as distracted driving. Use caution when using electronic devices that take your eyes and ears off the road, such as cell phones and music players.
- Never assume a driver sees you; make eye contact before crossing in front of them.
- Be cautious when crossing driveways or outlets where drivers must look away from you to merge with traffic.
- Allow drivers time to recognize your intention to cross so they can come to a complete stop. A motorist traveling 35 miles per hour needs about six seconds to see a pedestrian and safely stop their vehicle.
- Cross streets at marked crosswalks or intersections where two streets meet. This is where drivers expect pedestrians, and it’s the only lawful spot to cross.
The Henderson Police Department received $135,000 in federal funding through the Nevada Department of Public Safety - Office of Traffic Safety for the 2018 Joining Forces program.
