STOP in the Name of the Law – June 2017 Operation Best Foot Forward

With more than 203,000 Orange County Public School students out and about for summer vacation, this month was the right time for the return of Operation Best Foot Forward (BFF): when local law enforcement comes out in full force to remind Central Floridians about the Florida driver yield law.

Need a refresher? Drivers are required by law to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk – failing to do so can get you a $164 ticket, plus three points on your license.

The June 14^th crosswalk enforcement was the 17^th round of Operation BFF, resulting in officers from the Orlando Police Department (OPD) and Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OSCO) issuing 102 tickets and 29 warnings. Since round one, the total comes to 2,497 citations and 4,122 warnings, respectively.

The operation started out strong at 7:30 a.m. at a busy, residential crosswalk on General Rees Avenue, where neighbors were curious about the operation and pleased that something was being done about drivers who don’t watch for people on foot.

Another location was Pine Hills Road & El Trio Way, a notorious crosswalk sprawled across a high-speed road and the site of many pedestrian deaths. Although cars were pulled over and ticketed, Orange County sheriffs noted improvement since the last enforcement – finally, some drivers were stopping!

At Woodbury Road and Mallory Circle, car after car breezed right past the decoy cop braving the crosswalk. OSCO gave 26 citations at this location – and many more warnings.

Meanwhile in a well walked area of College Park, OPD diligently warned and ticketed early morning commuters who were in too much of a rush to stop for pedestrians crossing at the corner of Edgewater Drive and Shady Lane Drive.

Over at Landstar Boulevard and Misley Drive, drivers put the OSCO officers into more than a few scary situations – one officer was almost hit as a distracted driver ignored his direction to exit the road into a parking lot to issue a citation.

The day ended at S. Conway Road & Hargill Drive, where Orlando Sentinel reporter Harry Sayer came to see for himself how Operation BFF spotlights the need for safe driving in the Central Florida community. See below for the story and other great media coverage from the “school’s out” edition of Operation BFF, along with an Operation BFF progress report and pictures from the event.

Cops serve as decoys during crackdown on drivers ignoring pedestrians in crosswalks
Orlando Sentinel
June 14, 2017
Harry Sayer

Quick Facts: Operation BFF Progress Report since June 2012
Crosswalks enforced – 64
Details – 316
Total Citations – 2,497
Total Warnings – 4,122

Check out some pictures from the event:

More photos HERE!