KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Police around Kalamazoo are cracking down on drivers who disobey pedestrian traffic rules with their Pedestrian Enforcement Week.
From September 5th through the 11th, authorities will be looking for drivers who make illegal turns, fail to yield to pedestrians, and ignore signals.
This means drivers must also follow the new shared street ordinance in the city and stop for pedestrians that are waiting or entering both marked and unmarked crosswalks.
Citizens on foot must also be responsible for obeying the traffic laws by stopping before entering a crosswalk, follow pedestrian signals, and yield to vehicles outside of crosswalks.
Participating departments include the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department, Kalamazoo Township Police, and Western Michigan University’s Public Safety Department.
In fact, the Office of Highway Safety Planning says between 2013 and 2017, Kalamazoo has had some of the highest pedestrian crashes, totaling 264.
The enforcement period comes after Kalamazoo received federal grants to combat pedestrian-involved crashes.
Lansing, Detroit, and Warren are also taking part in the special enforcement period.
