Police to Enforce Crosswalk Laws—Is Redmond Safe for Pedestrians?

plan extra enforcement of the state's crosswalk laws in the downtown area on Sept. 18 and 25, the department announced in a news release today.

Police spokesman Jim Bove said the department has targeted crosswalks before and opted to do a special patrol this month because school is back in session and the safety of student walkers is a regular concern.

Bove said summer is also when a lot of collisions or near-misses between pedestrians and vehicles occur, and this summer has been no different.

“We’ve had several during the summer, which is not uncommon just because there are more people out,” he said.

So far in 2012, Bove said, there have been seven collisions involving pedestrians and vehicles, and 13 between bicyclists and vehicles. For all of 2011, those numbers were 11 and 14, respectively.

In 2012, one pedestrian has been killed in Redmond and another was seriously injured. The  and involved an 83-year-old man who attempted to cross the street at night outside of a crosswalk. He was struck by a passenger car and died instantly.

In March, a 22-year-old pedestrian was  near the intersection of Northeast 85th Street and 164th Avenue Northeast. Police are still looking for the . 

Bove said there were no pedestrian fatalities in 2011.

According to RCW 46.61.235, drivers must stop for pedestrians who are "within an unmarked or marked crosswalk when the pedestrian or bicycle is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning."

Pedestrians are also not permitted to "move into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to stop."

The fine for failing to observe the crosswalk law is $124.

For more information, click here to read the full Redmond Police news release.

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Do you think downtown Redmond is a safe and inviting place for pedestrians? Tell us in the comments section.

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Editor's note: This story was revised on Sept. 12 to include statistics from the Redmond Police Department.