YONKERS, N.Y. Jaywalkers beware: the City of Yonkers has its eye on you.
Mayor Mike Spano and Police Commissioner Charles Gardner have announced the city is cracking down on pedestrians crossing mid-block, first with signs and then with warnings and summonses.
The jaywalk initiative, announced late last week, is part of Operation Safe Cross and is designed to make intersections safer and reduce accidents caused by jaywalking, Spano said.
In a city with increased traffic and many pedestrians, jaywalking presents a significant danger that has too often resulted in serious injuries and, unfortunately, loss of life, he said in a statement. We have traffic laws, signals and crosswalks designed to protect both drivers and pedestrians, but those protections are only effective when the rules of the road are followed.
Already Yonkers has installed its first Safe Cross sign, a white sign with black letters warning pedestrians to use crosswalks, at the intersection of Nepperhan Avenue and New Main Street, near City Hall.
Spano pledged to place additional signs at more of the citys busiest intersections along Nepperhan Avenue, South Broadway and near the Empire City Casino.
Gardner said police will initially issue warnings for first time offenders of right of way violations. Summonses may be issued in more serious cases and to those repeatedly caught jaywalking, the commissioner said.
Our objective is always to best protect the safety of our residents and this program takes a proactive approach to prevent a tragedy from occurring due to something as simple as improperly crossing the street, he said in a statement.
Reminding residents that crosswalks are more than just a suggestion is important, Gardner said, as illegal crossing poses serious problems for pedestrians and drivers.
This year, more than half of the accident investigations conducted were pedestrian related and involved either serious injury or death, according to police statistics.
Click here to follow Daily Voice and receive free news updates.
