Crosswalk crackdown on distracted drivers

On Tuesday morning a woman was struck and killed while trying to cross the road at International Drive.

The next day law enforcement went to that intersection and many others in central Florida to crackdown on cars that don’t yield to pedestrians. 

One by one cars were pulled over onto the side of the road as Orange County deputies issued citations.  All of those cars failing to yield to a pedestrian crossing the street on Pine Hills Road.

“Orlando is one of the leading cities for pedestrian fatalities,” Sgt. Laity Kareem of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said. “Actually, Pine Hills Road had a juvenile hit by a vehicle this morning.”

Fortunately, that child was ok.  But that’s not true for everyone.  First  responders said pedestrian incidents are some of the most debilitating injuries they see.

“We’ll see head injuries, multiple fractures, internal bleeding, spinal injuries,” said Adriana Patel of the Orlando Health Trauma Center. 

Throughout Wednesday morning, it proved to be a dicey task for the undercover deputy posing as a pedestrian in the crosswalk. 

“A vehicle very nearly missed him,” Kareem said. “And then when the deputy stepped out to speak to him, they almost hit the deputy as well.”

Officials said they believe distracted driving is to blame. 

“From all my encounters this morning, everybody has said that they didn’t see the pedestrian crossing,” Kareem said. 

So to get it through their heads, these deputies are done with giving warnings and writing big tickets. Each one carries a fine of $164 and three points on their license.

“It’s been very busy,” Kareem said. “We’ve had pretty much a nonstop procession of cars that we get pulled over here for failing to stop for pedestrians.”

It’s a crosswalk crackdown that they hope will save lives.