21-056 Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Concludes FDOT Contract to Target Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety; Provides Results

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau
Strategic Planning Bureau
- Grants Administration

University of North Florida

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)

PINELLAS COUNTY - From Monday, October 19, 2020 through Friday, May 14, 2021, Pinellas County deputies conducted high visibility education and enforcement details that stressed the importance of pedestrian and bicycle safety.

The High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) details are funded through a contract with the University of North Florida, in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation’s focus initiative to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety.

The HVE details were held at 25 locations throughout Pinellas County, which were identified as being high crash areas for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The purpose of the project was to educate and enforce safe pedestrian, bicyclist and motorist behavior in designated locations, in an effort to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities involving pedestrians and bicyclists.

The operation included the distribution of educational materials, as well as the issuance of warnings and/or citations to pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists in accordance with Florida Statutes.

The results from the operation:

Pedestrian Verbal Warnings: 477
Pedestrian Written Warnings: 194
Pedestrian Citations: 3

Motorist Verbal Warnings: 178
Motorist Written Warnings: 228
Motorist Citations: 35

Bicyclist Verbal Warnings: 298
Bicyclist Written Warnings: 99
Bicyclist Citations: 4
Bike Lights Distributed: 14