Less than half of all drivers yield to pedestrians at Central Florida trail crossings, according to data collected by the Best Foot Forward for Pedestrian Safety (BFF) program. To educate drivers and help reverse this dangerous trend, officers and deputies are teaming up for a series of enforcement details at popular trail crossings on Tuesday May 2.
Despite trails being known as high-traffic areas for people walking and biking, data collected through the BFF program shows that only 46% of drivers are yielding to pedestrians at the 12 popular trail crossings being monitored this year. During Operation Best Foot Forward, plainclothes officers and deputies will cross streets at marked crosswalks, giving drivers enough time to slow down and stop safely. Drivers who do not stop as Florida law requires will be pulled over and face a minimum $164 citation and three (3) points on their driver’s license.
“Central Florida’s trails are a popular destination for locals and visitors,” said Emily Hanna, Executive Director of Bike/Walk Central Florida, the nonprofit organization that administers the Best Foot Forward program. “Drivers should always be extra cautious around trail crossings, where more people are walking and biking.”
Operation Best Foot Forward is part of the Best Foot Forward coalition’s larger effort to change driver behavior through persistent education, high-visibility crosswalk enforcement, and low-cost engineering installations.
