Operation Best Foot Forward Reminds Drivers to Yield to Pedestrians Near Schools

In recognition of School Crossing Guard Appreciation Day on February 7, the Best Foot Forward for Pedestrian Safety program kicked off its quarterly pedestrian safety enforcement, Operation Best Foot Forward. Running from February 11-21, 2025, this two-week campaign took place across multiple counties in Central Florida, including Osceola, Seminole, Orange, Brevard, Marion, and Volusia, with Flagler joining for the first time, expanding the impact of the initiative. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of Florida’s driver yield laws, which grant pedestrians the right-of-way at crosswalks, with the goal of reducing pedestrian injuries and fatalities. 

During the operation, plainclothes officers, deputies, and volunteers crossed streets at marked crosswalks, giving drivers ample time to slow down and stop safely. Drivers who failed to stop as required by law faced a $164 citation and three (3) points on their license. This enforcement tactic is part of the ongoing effort to hold drivers accountable and create safer streets for everyone. 

The enforcement covered 25 crosswalks in total across the participating counties, with 217 warnings and 131 citations issued to drivers who failed to yield. These efforts directly support the Target Zero and Vision Zero campaigns, which aim to reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities to zero. 

Crosswalk Locations and Enforcement 

Here are some of the crosswalk locations targeted during Operation Best Foot Forward:

The operation saw participation from law enforcement agencies across the seven counties involved, with several city and county police departments joining in, including: 

• Apopka Police Department
• Brevard County Sheriff’s Office (Cape Canaveral) 
• Casselberry Police Department 
• Daytona Beach Shores Dept. 
• Flagler County Sheriff’s Office 
• Kissimmee Police Department 
• Longwood Police Department 
• Marion County Sheriff’s Office 
• Oakland Police Department 
• Ocala Police Department 
• Orange County Sheriff’s Office 
• Osceola County Sheriff’s Office 
• Palm Bay Police Dept. 
• Ponce Inlet Police Department 
• Seminole County Sheriff’s Office 
• St. Cloud Police Department 
• Titusville Police Dept. 

We appreciate the support of our local digital and broadcast media for helping amplify the importance of pedestrian safety. With 50 media placements, we reached an estimated 589,638 viewers across Central Florida, reminding everyone that Florida law requires drivers to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks. We’d also like to give a special shoutout to all our Best Foot Forward partners who were able to attend a crosswalk enforcement to support, including elected officials such as City of Cape Canaveral Council Member Don Willis and individuals from: 

• Florida Department of Health 
• HCA Healthcare 
• Health First 
• Orange County Government  
• Orlando Health  
• Osceola County Government  
• Volusia Flagler TPO  

Thank you to all the participants for their support in making Central Florida’s streets safer for pedestrians. We look forward to continuing to work together to advocate for safer streets in our community. 

To view photos from the enforcement and see the full schedule with interactive crosswalk locations, visit the Operation Best Foot Forward Flickr album and learn more at iyield4peds.org/operationbff.