ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPARTMENT
MEDIA SERVICES UNIT
2003 MILL ROAD
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA 22314-4658
703-838-4636

MEDIA ADVISORY
MARCH 7, 2008 #08-012
1:00 P.M. HILDEBRANDT

Alexandria Police to Participate in Regional Street Smart Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Campaign

Beginning Monday, March 10, the Alexandria Police Department plans to conduct increased enforcement of pedestrian safety laws at locations Citywide. This enforcement coincides with the beginning of the 2008 Street Smart campaign, an annual public education, awareness and behavioral campaign about pedestrian and bicyclist safety in the Metropolitan Washington region.  Since January 1, the Police Department has recorded eight pedestrian accidents. Seven of the eight accidents involved vehicles striking pedestrians crossing in crosswalks.

Officers from the Department's Motor Unit will focus on King Street Metro, Braddock Road Metro, Eisenhower Avenue Metro and Van Dorn Street Metro during the morning and evening rush hours from March 10-14.  Officers will also concentrate on locations of high traffic and numerous crashes, such as Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria, Duke Street and Edsall Road.  Officers will be issuing warnings and citations to drivers along the Mount Vernon Trail corridor in Old Town to encourage safe bicycling.

The officers will write warning and citations to drivers for:
• Failure to obey a highway sign by blocking the crosswalk,
• Failure to yield right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks,
• Making improper turns into crosswalks,
• Failure to obey "No Turn on Red" while pedestrians are present,
• Speeding and
• Running red lights and stop signs.

The 2008 Street Smart safety campaign begins with a formal press conference and kick-off event on Friday, March 7, at 10:00 A.M. at Baileys Crossing in Fairfax County. The campaign will run from March 3 through March 29 and will include media campaigns targeted at drivers and pedestrians.  It also will feature increased enforcement throughout the National Capital Region. The goal of Street Smart is to increase awareness of pedestrian and bicycle safety and reduce the number of injuries and deaths.

For more information, visit http://www.alexride.org/streetsmart.php

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