Hello Lauderhill Family, 

As NBC 6 reported last week, your Lauderhill Police Department (LPD) Traffic Unit has been engaging in an Aggressive Driving Campaign to help bring awareness to the dangers involved when traffic rules are not followed.  

With this edition, I want to continue with our discussion on traffic safety by focusing on pedestrian traffic safety. At some point during our day, we are a pedestrian, and it is important for all of us (drivers and pedestrians alike) to remain safe and vigilant when people and traffic mix.

Unfortunately, we do not have to look very far to find examples of pedestrians becoming victims of traffic crashes. Just recently, we had a traffic fatality involving a pedestrian in Lauderhill on State Road 7. It was also in the news about Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwanye Haskins, who was recently struck and killed while trying to cross I-595. These two tragic events might have been prevented…

Follow the rules!

I would like to provide you with some things to think about when you are driving and encounter pedestrian traffic.

Drivers, here’s what you can do!

1. Look out for pedestrians everywhere, always.
2. Use extra caution when driving in hard-to-see conditions, such as at nighttime or in bad weather.
3. Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or otherwise entering a crosswalk.
4. Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and stop well back from the crosswalk to give other vehicles an opportunity to see the crossing pedestrians, so they can stop too.
5. Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. There may be people crossing where you can’t see.
6. Follow the speed limit, especially around people on the street, in school zones and especially in neighborhoods where children are present.
7. Be extra cautious when backing up and look for pedestrians.

When drivers maintain safe speeds and practice other safe driving behaviors, safer walking environments are created for you, your loved ones, and others in your community.

Now, its not only the driver’s obligation to be safe, but pedestrians’ responsibility, as well!

1. Follow the rules of the road and obey all signs and signals.
2. Walk on sidewalks whenever they are available.
3. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible.
4. Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections. Look for cars in all directions, including those turning left or right.
5. If a crosswalk or intersection is not available, locate a well-lit area where you have the best view of traffic. Wait for a gap in traffic that allows enough time to cross safely; continue watching for traffic as you cross.
6. Watch for cars entering or exiting driveways or backing up in parking lots.

Your officers are out in areas that have been identified as traffic hot spots and are conducting localized traffic enforcement for an extra three to five hours a day in those areas.

So please remember to watch your speed, or LPD will watch it for you!

Until next time, be safe!

Yours in service…

Chief Constance Stanley