LARGO, Fla. (WFLA) – “The High Visibility Enforcement Campaign” is to promote pedestrian but also bicycle safety. Two to three times a week, Largo police officers monitor high traffic areas around the city.
“58% of the time the crashes are occurring between 6-11 p.m.,” Sergeant Michael Blickensdorf said.
He said instead of ticketing, Largo police are educating people, who may be violating the law.
“We provide safety materials for people we come in contact with. We have bicycle lights for bicyclists who don’t have them on the front and back,” Blickensdorf said.
Those following the rules get rewarded with one of these vouchers. Blickensdorf said in the end they want to help save more lives.
“The goal is to reduce fatalities with bicyclists and pedestrians as well as motorcyclists and motor vehicles,” Blickensdorf said.
Largo police said Pinellas County is seeing a significantly higher number of fatal crashes as opposed to previous years.
“This year in Pinellas County, 50 percent of our fatalities are bicyclists and pedestrians, so we’re looking to target specific locations preselected by FDOT,” Blickensdorf said.
Pinellas County has had 114 fatal crashes resulting in 123 deaths. Largo police hope you at home will help them spread this information.
