FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The City of Springfield is once again stepping up crosswalk compliance efforts. Beginning April 2, Springfield drivers who fail to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk may get pulled over. Additionally, officers will continue their focus on distracted driving.
Missouri’s new “hands-free” law says that a someone operating a vehicle may not handle handheld electronic devices. Springfield Police Department identifies distracted driving as a contributing factor in many preventable vehicle crashes.
Crosswalk enforcement “Yield Check” events offer a unique opportunity to enforce violations of both the hands-free law as well as failure to yield. Conducted since 2021 by the Springfield Police Department in partnership with City’s SGF Yields, the City’s pedestrian safety program, Crosswalk Yield Checks will resume this spring.
The first event is planned for Wednesday, April 2, at the intersection of Bennett Street and Jefferson Avenue, along the Fassnight Creek Greenway Trail. The goal of Yield Checks is to further increase the yielding rate at crosswalks through education-focused, high-visibility enforcement, which make our community more pedestrian friendly.
Officers that wait at the crosswalk can identify when drivers are in violation of the hands-free law. Drones are also used to record crosswalk violations during the exercise. The first two weeks in April, officers plan to hand out warnings to drivers and the SGF Yields Action group will be on site to cheer on drivers who yield.
“Crosswalk Yield Checks are a way to give the community a friendly nudge to obey the rules,” Traffic Safety Professional Mandy Buettgen-Quinn said. “For the first two weeks, officers will hand out warnings and educational materials to those who don’t comply. After that, citations will be issued.”
How Crosswalk Yield Checks Work
Three police officers will station themselves at a designated crosswalk location for approximately four hours, monitoring for driver compliance. One officer will act as a decoy pedestrian, a second will function as a spotter and a third will be in a patrol car, ready to stop those who do not properly yield to the pedestrian.
Posted signage will alert drivers that they are approaching a Yield Check location. Those who are stopped will be provided a warning and educational materials. After a warning period, drivers may be cited for violations. Officers will also address any pedestrians that do not follow regulations and put themselves or others at risk.
The public will be notified of upcoming Crosswalk Yield Check locations in advance via news release and social media. Results of the exercise will also be reported to the public.
Crosswalk Yield Check locations are determined by Springfield Public Works and Springfield Police Department with guidance and input from citizens through the SGF Yields Citizen Action Group.
Yield Checks are funded through a $21,120 grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation.
For more information about Crosswalk Yield Checks and the SGF Yields pedestrian safety program, please visit springfieldmo.gov/sgfyields, follow SGF Yields on Facebook, or email [email protected].
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For more information, contact Communication Coordinator Kristen Milam at 573-819-3713 or [email protected].
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
