DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Daytona Beach Police Department announced on Thursday that they'd be undertaking a series of measures to help prevent accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists. The initiative will run from January to May 2024.
According to the announcement, Daytona Beach Police officers will be stationing patrols in areas with high rates of pedestrian and cyclist accidents, and be on the lookout for drivers speeding, not stopping for pedestrians, not using their turn signal, and driving while on their phone.
On the other side of the coin, officers will also look for pedestrians crossing illegally and not yielding to motorists who have the right of way. Cyclists who ride against traffic will be stopped, the statement says, as well as if they ride at night without lights or otherwise outside of traffic laws.
The initiative, titled the High Visibility Enforcement Program, is being funded in part by the University of North Florida's Institute of Police Technology and Management. This UNF program is itself funded by the Florida Department of Transportation. Funds will go toward overtime hours for the DBPD officers carrying out the program, as well as special training on bicycle and pedestrian laws.
In the meantime, the DBPD encourages residents to obey the speed limit, never drive impaired, and watch for cyclists and pedestrians when driving. Cyclists are encouraged to ride with the direction of traffic and use lights at night, and pedestrians are urged to use crosswalks and make themselves visible to drivers.
