Stop, don't yield: Is new crosswalk law working in your community?
Yesterday, Chicago Tribune transportation reporter Jon Hilkevitch reported that police stings have increased to enforce the new Illinois law requiring drivers to stop, not yield, for pedestrians in crosswalks.
If you're new to our blog, you may not be familiar with this bill; as an organization that advocated for the Pedestrian Safey Act's approval by the Illinois General Assembly, we've written a lot about it because it just makes good sense. Gov. Quinn signed the bill into law in July, but a lot of Illinois drivers don't know about it yet. Admittedly, it's a big change of pace for drivers in the city and suburbs alike, who are accustomed to all but ignoring crosswalks.
Hopefully, with this increased media attention and stronger police enforcement, we'll start to see more drivers shift their habits. Just this morning I noticed a line of cars − even cabs! − break for a pedestrian at a crosswalk in the Loop. How about you? Are you noticing drivers stopping for crosswalks in your town? Do you have any recommendations for where police should focus their enforcement?