Caldwell Police Crackdown on Pedestrian Safety Law

The Caldwell Police Department launched a crackdown on drivers who failed to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks this past weekend.

Caldwell officers focused on crosswalks during a four-hour blitz on Saturday as part of a countywide effort to improve pedestrian safety. Both uniformed and plain-clothed officers pulled over 167 vehicles who did not stop for pedestrians walking in crosswalks on Caldwell streets, and issued 13 summonses and 157 warnings.  

Caldwell Police Det. Brad Palatucci said the department is serious about enforcing pedestrian safety laws and called the weekend crosswalk detail a "success."  

"The objective of the detail was to educate motorists and pedestrians about the laws," said Palatucci, "so we can keep pedestrians safer within the borough."

The pedestrian crosswalk law went into effect in April 2010. Drivers that fail to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk now face steep penalties: $200 and two points on their driver's license. 

This was the first year Caldwell Police Department participated in a countywide effort to focus on pedestrian safety.