End of Daylight Saving Time Triggers Deadly Risk for Pedestrians

Seven local law enforcement agencies to conduct a three-day crosswalk enforcement operation in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties

Law enforcement agencies across Central Florida are stepping up patrols at local crosswalks for a three-day crackdown on drivers who fail to yield and stop for pedestrians in marked crosswalks. Deputies from Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, as well as officers from the Orlando, Kissimmee, Oakland, and Casselberry Police Departments will enforce crosswalks beginning Tuesday, November 9 at 7:30 a.m. through Thursday, November 11.

This week was chosen because the number of fatal traffic crashes spike the weeks following the end of daylight saving time, according to several national reports.  Losing the extra hour of sunlight in the evening puts pedestrians most at risk, at a time when the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration reports more than three-fourths of all pedestrian fatalities happen after dark. That’s a trend the Best Foot Forward Pedestrian Safety Program and local law enforcement agencies are working to reverse.

Dubbed Operation Best Foot Forward, crosswalk enforcement actions are part of a greater, comprehensive effort to educate drivers about Florida’s driver yield laws and curb the pattern of aggressive behavior towards pedestrians.  During the operation, plainclothes deputies and officers cross the street at marked crosswalks, giving drivers ample time to yield as Florida law requires. Drivers who fail to comply may be issued a warning or a citation starting at $164 and three points on their license.

Where and When:

Operation Schedule of Enforcement

Tuesday, November 9

Orange County Sheriff’s Office
8:15 – 8:45 a.m.: University Blvd. & Alafaya Trail

Orlando Police Department
7:30 – 10:00 a.m.: East Michigan St. & Cayman Way

Osceola County Sheriff’s Office
8:00 – 10:00 a.m.: Buenaventura & Briarwood
10:00 – 12:00 p.m.: 3200 Rolling Oaks

Kissimmee Police Department
8:30 – 10:00 a.m.: Broadway & West Dakin Ave.
10:30 – 12:00 p.m.: 898 N. Hoagland Blvd.

Wednesday, November 10

Seminole County Sheriff’s Office
7:30 –  9:30 a.m.: Sand Lake Rd. & Forest Park Cir.
10:00 – 12:00 p.m.: International Parkway at Westin Hotel

Oakland Police Department
7:30 – 8:30 a.m.: W. Oakland Ave. & Sansparilla Rd.
8:45 – 9:45 a.m.: N. Tubbs St. & West Orange Trail

Thursday, November 11

Casselberry Police Department
8:00 – 12:00 p.m.: Lake Dr. & Park Dr.

About Best Foot Forward for Pedestrian Safety Program

The Best Foot Forward for pedestrian safety program is administered by the local non-profit Bike/Walk Central Florida and first launched in Orange County and the City of Orlando in 2012. It expanded to Osceola County, Kissimmee and St. Cloud in 2017 and Seminole County in October 2019. Apopka, Oakland, and Winter Park recently joined the program in the fall of 2021. Best Foot Forward is now made up of some 38 coalition partners across Central Florida.

Best Foot Forward was created to reverse the conflict between pedestrians and drivers by focusing on one specific behavior change – getting more drivers to yield for pedestrians at marked crosswalks as Florida law requires. More than a campaign, Best Foot Forward is a behavior change-based program designed to improve road safety through consistent and persistent education, high-visibility crosswalk enforcement and low-cost engineering at marked crosswalks in close proximity to elementary schools and LYNX bus stops, in urban areas and cross-sections of low and high-speed roads.

Best Foot Forward program progress: 2012-2020

• Operating in three counties, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties
• More than 10,500 citations and warnings issued since 2012
• More than 200 crosswalks evaluated in the program since 2012
• 44 percent increase – average yielding behavior change at those crosswalks being tracked by Best Foot Forward

Covering Orange, Osceola and now Seminole Counties, Best Foot Forward is the largest grassroots coalition focused on pedestrian safety in the nation. Since 2012, when Best Foot Forward was launched, the percentage of drivers yielding to people in marked crosswalks has increased from 17% to more than 60% on roads with a speed limit of 35 mph and lower and 2% to 43% on roads 40 mph and higher.

About Bike/Walk Central Florida, Administers the Best Foot Forward Program

Bike/Walk Central Florida (BWCF) is a 501(c)(3) that promotes walkable and bikeable communities through raising public awareness and advocating for safe, active transportation and recreation.

BWCF manages the Best Foot Forward for pedestrian safety program for its partners in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Best Foot Forward is a behavior change-based program designed to improve road safety through consistent and persistent education, high-visibility enforcement and low-cost engineering at marked crosswalks. Best Foot Forward was launched in Orange County in June 2012. It more recently expanded into Osceola County in 2017 and Seminole County in 2019. Best Foot Forward is one of the largest grassroots programs of its kind in the nation.

BWCF coordinates the Bike5Cities program and its annual bike ride to promote safe bicycling routes and enhanced multi-use trails throughout Central Florida. The organization supports building, expanding and linking regional trails and completing Coast-to-Coast Connector trail. BWCF encourages transportation corridor planning and design by using Complete Streets principles for the benefit of all transportation users. To learn more, go to http://bikewalkcentralflorida.org/.