Florida leads nation in pedestrian deaths, leading to police crackdown Thursday

Improving pedestrian safety ahead of school year

When school starts again, more kids will be walking and biking to class. Winter Haven police are out on Thursday making sure drivers pay attention to crosswalks. FOX 13?s Matthew McClellan reports.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Police in Winter Haven are watching one busy intersection Thursday morning and pulling over drivers who fail to stop for people walking across.

Happening now:

It’s part of a high-visibility enforcement operation called Operation Best Foot Forward, aimed at preventing pedestrian deaths as students return to class.

Officers in plain clothes are stepping into the crosswalk at Avenue M NW and Unity Way NW. If a driver doesn’t yield, they’ll be pulled over and cited. The minimum penalty is $164 and three points on your license under Florida law.

READ: How much longer will intense heat last in the Tampa Bay area before more rain returns? Here's the timeline

Why you should care:

Florida has one of the worst pedestrian death rates in the country, accounting for 11.1% of all pedestrian deaths nationwide, according to federal traffic data. More than 7,300 pedestrians were killed in the U.S. in 2021 alone. Many of those deaths happen in broad daylight, or even in marked crosswalks.

In Central Florida, four people are killed every week in pedestrian crashes, and 93% of the victims are local residents, not tourists.

READ: Bay Area hardware stores brace for surge in customers once Florida’s hurricane sales tax break starts

What's driving the problem:

Experts point to a mix of speeding, aggressive driving, and wide, fast-moving roads. A 2023 policy report from the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that child pedestrian deaths have increased by 11% since 2013, particularly among kids aged 10 to 19.

The report also warns about distracted driving, and even distracted walking, as major contributors to these crashes.

READ: Tsunami warning strands Ruskin family from cruise ship during Hawaii vacation

Does enforcement work?:

Yes, and there’s data to back it up.

When the Best Foot Forward program launched in 2012, just 17% of drivers yielded to people in crosswalks. Today, that number has more than doubled to over 50% on slower roads, according to program organizers. On roads with speed limits of 40 mph or higher, yield rates have jumped from 2% to 45%.

The program pairs enforcement with community education and low-cost engineering fixes to reduce injuries and deaths. Since its launch, officers have issued more than 12,000 citations and warnings.