Newark police target pedestrians

Careful where you walk.  Police are concerned about the rising number of pedestrian injuries.  So, Newark police are keeping a close eye on pedestrians to make sure they not only stay safe, but obey the law.

 

The Newark Police Department just wrapped up a three month long enforcement where pedestrians were on the radar since March. Last year 361 pedestrian related injuries were reported, an increase from 265 in 2009. Meanwhile, during Newark’s enforcement campaign, police issued 140 tickets for disregarding a traffic control device, basically ignoring the red hand on the crossing signal. There were 7 tickets for jaywalking. The operation was funded by the Delaware Office of Highway Safety which also has a program aimed at pedestrians who text and walk.

“It is our hope that this enforcement campaign will encourage pedestrians to follow the traffic laws and thereby reduce the number of pedestrian related collisions and improve the flow of traffic throughout the City,” said Lt Mark Farrall, the public information officer from the Newark Police Department.

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This pedestrian operation usually occurs every fall to coincide with the influx of pedestrians related to the beginning of the University of Delaware’s fall semester, and then again in the spring as the weather improves and pedestrian traffic increases.

According to police, most of the violations were handed out on Main Street and Delaware Avenue.

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