An Orlando Sentinel photographer captured a driver turning right as people were walking and biking across the street using the crosswalk at the intersection of SR 434 and US 17/92 in Longwood. This picture spotlights one of the highest pedestrian/driver conflict zones around signalized intersections (one with stoplights). Florida law says drivers must yield to pedestrians using the crosswalk on the “Walk” signal, even if their light is green.
Caption reads: Longwood Police Department patrol officer P. Robert Ladoszky, from left, and Sheryl Aldarondo, injury prevention coordinator for Orlando Regional Medical Center, use the crosswalk Tuesday at the intersection of S.R. 434 & U.S. 17-92 in Longwood. They are taking part in Operation Best Foot Forward — a crosswalk enforcement operation by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Orlando Police Department and Longwood Police Department. The departments monitored seven crosswalks across three counteis, watching for drivers who failed to stop for pedestrians in marked crosswalks. At the end of the day, law enforcement reported 108 citations and warnings to drivers for Failure to Yield to a Pedestrian in a Crosswalk. A citation costs a minimum of $164 and three points on driver’s licenses.
