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St. Pete police stepping up focus on bicycle, pedestrian safety

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Published  September 17, 2024 6:37pm EDT
St. Petersburg
FOX 13 News

New push for bike, pedestrian safety

You'll see more St. Pete officers out on the roads over the next several months. They'll be stopping people to talk about keeping everyone safer on the streets.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - More officers will be on the roads in St. Pete over the next several months. They’re not there to get you in trouble, though. They’ll be stopping people to talk about keeping everyone safer on the roads.

It’s part of St. Petersburg police and the state’s latest push for pedestrian safety.

The St. Petersburg Police Department recently got a $67,629 grant from the state to conduct high visibility enforcement operations focusing on bicycle and pedestrian safety from September to May 2025. It’s a partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation’s Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow campaign, the Institute for Police Technology and Management, and the University of North Florida.

"It's usually four officers and a supervisor," Sgt. Michael Schade with SPPD’s traffic section, said. "They go out for about four hours at a time and they go out and they get engaged with the public, not necessarily where they will do a stop because somebody did something wrong. They might just see a person and have a consensual encounter, give them a pamphlet, give them a bicycle light, that type of thing."

Sgt. Schade said the number of pedestrians and bicyclists on the roads in St. Pete has "exploded" over the past couple of years. He said, unfortunately, more people on the roads means an increase in the number of accidents. The number of bicycle fatalities has doubled so far this year compared to last, jumping from two to four. Pedestrian fatalities are at seven, which is the same number as this time last year.

"We do what we can to be out there and doing targeted education and enforcement, whether it's through this grant or on our day-to-day activities to try to keep people safe," Sgt. Schade said.

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State officials pick the busiest streets based on crash data to station officers for educational stops of pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers. Those streets include 34th Street North and South, 4th Street North and South, 18th Avenue South, 16th Street South, 3rd Street North, U.S. 19/5th Avenue North and 49th Street North.

"The big thing for pedestrians and bicyclists is they have to follow the same rules of the road as motorists. They need to follow crosswalk signs. They need to stay in crosswalks. They have to wear helmets when they're on their bicycles, use bicycle lanes. All those things help keep them safe," Sgt. Schade said.

He said it’s a team effort, though, to keep everyone safe.

"Don't drive distracted. Don't be looking at your cell phone," he said. "Following the rules of the road and paying attention goes a long way in saving people from getting injured or killed."

The campaign just started last week, and Sgt. Schade says so far, they’ve received a lot of positive feedback from the public.

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