Pedestrian Safety Awareness Sting Thursday: Beaverton Police

BEAVERTON, OR — To remind and/or educate drivers to local pedestrian laws, the Beaverton Police Department has announced it will conduct a "Pedestrian Safety Detail" Thursday, Sept. 7, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The operation will take place at the intersection of Southwest Watson Avenue and Southwest 12th Street.

The sting, police spokesman Mike Rowe said, will focus on vehicles failing to stop and remain stopped for pedestrians in a crosswalk and is primarily about raising pedestrian safety awareness.

Rowe reminds drivers that there are a crosswalks at every intersection, even if no lines are painted on the road surface, and that they must yield to any pedestrian showing intent to cross any street at any intersection regardless of markings.

But rather than single out drivers for crosswalk mishaps and accidents, Rowe also reminds pedestrians to take control of their own safety by wearing bright colors while walking along busy roads and to pay attention to traffic flow when attempting to cross any street or train tracks.

(Over the past few years, several people have been hit by trains while wearing headphones as they cross the tracks in the downtown Beaverton area.)

"In our continued effort to provide options other than the standard citation," Rowe continued, "drivers receiving citations are given the option of taking a crosswalk diversion program hosted by the Beaverton Police Department."

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