NewsLocal News

Actions

Police hand out over 100 tickets in four hours during crosswalk sting operation

Posted at 6:56 PM, Aug 07, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-07 20:57:05-04

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah - The Utah Department of Public Safety is launching a statewide crosswalk safety campaign this week.

West Valley City Officers, wearing plain clothes, crossed the street at 2300 West and 4100 South to see who would stop. Many drivers didn’t, and some almost hit the officers.

Police spent only four hours handing out a whopping 108 violations. The campaign comes as Utah kids prepare to head back to school in the next few weeks.

Marques Varela, a Utah Department of Public safety representative also hopes the campaign will bring awareness to the change in crosswalk laws.

“Previously the only time you had to yield or stop for someone in a school crosswalk was when the lights were flashing. But now if it’s a school crosswalk, you have to stop regardless of what side you're on," Varela said.

Varela noted that in 2017, forty-three people lost their lives in pedestrian and motor vehicle-related accidents. He hopes this campaign will reduce that number for this coming year.