After 2 More Car-Pedestrian Accidents, Mercer Island Police Will Continue Crosswalk Enforcement

MERCER ISLAND, WA — Despite an ongoing pedestrian safety enforcement program, two more pedestrians were hit by cars while crossing in crosswalks on Mercer Island last week, police are reporting.

There were a number of car-pedestrian accidents earlier this month — including one in which a stroller carrying two children was hit — so police launched a program to talk to drivers who violate crosswalk laws at busy spots around the island. Between Dec. 19 and 26, officers spoke to 61 motorists about crosswalk driving violations and issued 35 citations for offenses ranging from failure to yield for pedestrians in a crosswalk, failure to stop at a stop sign, failure to yield at an intersection to using a cell phone while driving.

Police will continue the crosswalk enforcement program into 2017. The department has also ordered 250 lights that pedestrians can attach to themselves while walking at night. Mercer Island officers will hand the lights out during evening hours, and the lights will also be available at the department's records counter.

Police said that the two people hit during the most recent car-pedestrian accidents were not seriously injured.

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