LANSING, Mich. — As Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Week comes to a close, Lansing Police Department officers are out in the community taking steps to ensure the safety of walkers.
Sgt. Randall Hon was at South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Holmes Road because this intersection is one of the highest ranking intersections in the city involving crashes. Those crashes contribute to the nearly 1,500 pedestrian-involved accidents across Michigan last year alone.
Lansing police say they are doing their part to make the area a little safer by trying to prevent pedestrian-involved crashes in the area after learning that Ingham County has one of the highest numbers of pedestrian-involved crashes in Michigan.
To combat walker fatalities and injuries, officers are posted at the jaywalking hotspots around Lansing and are talking to people about proper safety.
"Tips from us are if you're a pedestrian, you just say sidewalk. If there's a sidewalk provided and not in the roadway, not walking in the roadway or down the middle of the roadway. And we're also asked to use the crosswalks properly waiting for the walk sign before crossing the intersection," Hon advised.
Hon says, while jaywalking can seem harmless, it's both dangerous and illegal.
"Laws are put in place not to punish people. It's just to make light of this is a law because mainly for your safety, and all we're trying to do is provide advice and guidance to essentially live longer," said Hon.
Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Week wraps up Friday, but Lansing police plan to continue emphasizing the importance of safe-walking practices throughout the year.
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