As part of its ongoing efforts to improve pedestrian safety in the City of Mt. Angel, the Mt. Angel Police Department will be conducting a Three (3) hour long pedestrian safety enforcement operation that will focus on motorists who fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians.
Regrettably, in 2019 there were an estimated 6,590 pedestrian fatalities in the United States (according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association), which would represent a 5% increase from 2018, or approximately 300 additional pedestrian fatalities. The Mt. Angel Police Department is committed to preventing these tragic deaths and is leading the effort with proactive enforcement and education programs. The department is conducting this public awareness and enforcement program to educate and encourage members of the community to develop and maintain safe practices while driving, walking, and cycling throughout the City of Mt. Angel.
The Three (3) hour long operation will take place on 06/01/2021 at crosswalks on E. College Street, N. Main Street, and S. Main Street within the City of Mt. Angel, Oregon. During this operation, officers from the Mt. Angel Police Department will be conducting enforcement at heavily traveled crosswalks. For this operation, officers dressed in plain clothes will cross the street while uniformed officers monitor the crosswalk for motorists and pedestrians who fail to yield the right-of-way, or who take unsafe and illegal actions. Drivers and pedestrians stopped during this safety operation will be issued warnings or citations.
Crosswalk enforcement actions are an effective way to communicate pedestrian right-of-way laws to both drivers and pedestrians. Police departments across the state take enforcement action in response to community requests and as a tool to educate the general public on the rules at marked and unmarked crossings and they are conducted at various times throughout the year.
“The goal of Pedestrian Crosswalk Operations or PSE’s (Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operations) is to improve traffic safety for everyone in the community while educating motorists and pedestrians alike,” said Mt. Angel Police Traffic Safety Officer Lopez. “When approaching a crosswalk where pedestrians are present, drivers must yield the right-of-way and remain stopped until it is safe to proceed as outlined in ORS 811.028 (Failure to Stop and Remain Stopped for Pedestrian). This operation will serve as a reminder of this responsibility and we expect that voluntary compliance will be improved as a result. As is the case with any other traffic law, it is easy to avoid a ticket by simply yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians who are in a crosswalk.”