Chicago police sting to ticket drivers who don't yield to pedestrians
Beginning April 20, the Chicago Police Dept, will be deploying undercover police officers to various intersections throughout the city posing as pedestrians. The reason? To catch and ticket motorists who fail to yield to pedestrians.
In 2008, 50 pedestrian related accidents resulted in fatalities. Overall more than 3000 pedestrian related accidents were reported.
Brian Steele, a Transportation Department spokesman, would not disclose the locations of the undercover operations, but did say that most will be at intersections where there are no stoplights or stop signs.
The undercover operation to ticket motorists who fail to yield to pedestrians is part of the "Safe Streets for Chicago" campaign which has been ongoing for almost three years. The program is designed to improve safety conditions between motorists and pedestrians by using countdown signals, improving the markings on crosswalks, investing in infrastructure and educating the public.
Stings are designed to educate.
"We're trying to change the dangerous driving behavior of motorists not yielding to pedestrians as the law requires," Steele said. "There is a reason crosswalks are painted on city streets: to provide safe passage for pedestrians. Far too many motorists don't yield to or pay enough attention to pedestrians."
Aren't pedestrians at fault sometimes?
"A motorist driving a two-ton auto is a lot more dangerous than a pedestrian crossing the street" while texting, talking on a cell-phone or listening to an I-Pod, says Steele.
In 2005, Andrew Velasquez, the then executive director of the City's Office of Emergency Management and Communications proposed allowing the traffic control aides, which number around 300, to ticket pedestrians who cross against the signal or against the crosswalk.
The idea was not well received by the Mayor.
Asked if pedestrians could someday be issued a ticket, Steel responded, "We are exploring education and enforcement efforts related to pedestrian behavior and we may launch one of those programs this year," he said.
According to public records, the intersection at King Drive and 79th street is the worst in the city numbering 13 accidents during a two year period. 79th and Ashland came in with 11 accidents, North and California had 10 accidents and Madison and Cicero had 9 accidents.
Pedestrians have the right of way at intersections where there are no traffic signals or stop signs and motorists must yield.
At intersections with traffic signals, pedestrians and motorists alike must obey their signal. At intersections with stop signs, motorists must yield the right of way unless they have legally stopped and have begun to proceed through the intersection.
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