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Ocala
Friday, March 29, 2024

Ocala Police participating in program aimed at reducing bicycle, pedestrian fatalities in Marion County

The Ocala Police Department will participate in a statewide High Visibility Enforcement program that is aimed at reducing the number of bicycle and pedestrian fatalities in Marion County.

According to a press release from OPD, Marion County ranks in the top 25 counties in Florida for traffic crashes resulting in serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists.

To help reverse the trend, the Ocala Police Department says it will participate in the Florida Department of Transportation High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) Program aimed at educating motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians on Florida’s traffic laws to improve safety on Ocala roads.

Ocala police will conduct this program on Friday, October 15, along SW College Road between SW 48th Avenue and I-75 from 11 a.m. to midnight, along East Silver Springs Boulevard between NE 12th Avenue and NE 25th AVenue from 8 p.m. to midnight, and along West Silver Springs Boulevard from NW 3rd Street to NW 27th Avenue from 2 p.m. to midnight.

According to OPD, these areas are over-represented in traffic crashes, resulting in serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists.

“The goal of this enforcement effort is to increase awareness of and compliance with traffic laws that protect the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists,” reads the press release. Special attention will be directed toward drivers speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield and stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, or any other dangerous violations.

Officers will be watching for pedestrians crossing the street illegally, failing to yield to motorists who have the right of way, and for bicyclists riding against traffic or riding at night without lights.

High Visibility Enforcement operations are funded through a contract with the University of North Florida in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation’s focused initiative to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety.