Bedford Police Initiative Looks to Improve Pedestrian Safety

Bedford Police will use a $3,000 grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to improve pedestrian safety.

The money is part of $192,000 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Bedford was one of 48 police departments to receive a grant.

“Pedestrians are particularly vulnerable road users because they may not be immediately visible to drivers and unlike those in vehicles, nothing protects them from impact,” said Traffic Enforcement Officer Marc Saucier. “All users need to learn to share the road safely and be mindful of one another and the law. We’ll use the grant for education, enforcement and outreach we believe will help protect our pedestrians from injuries and fatalities.” 

The money will go toward “targeted enforcement and decoy patrols, breakaway signs and crosswalk reflective tape," according to police. 

More than 1,500 pedestrians were injured in crashes, including 375 fatalities, between 2006 and 2011, according to the Massachusetts Traffic Records Analysis Center (MassTRAC).