Police Stings for Drivers Who Don't Yield in Crosswalks: Does It Really Work?

There were at least 56 very unhappy people in Fort Lee, New Jersey, last Friday, after a police sting operation resulted in a flurry of traffic tickets for drivers who failed to yield for pedestrians in crosswalks. The blitz, which is part of a more comprehensive effort to educate both pedestrians and drivers about their responsibility to follow the law, drew angry comments from motorists who were stopped and issued $230 tickets, according to NorthJersey.com.

This surge in enforcement is just the latest attempt in Fort Lee – a municipality that bears the unfortunate burden of providing several shortcuts to and from the George Washington Bridge – to address pedestrian safety. Sixty-eight people got hit by drivers in Fort Lee last year, and four died. Twelve were struck through the first three months of this year. Last year at this time, the cops were cracking down on jaywalkers. Will switching tactics make a difference?