Specific locations in county to be targeted for patrols
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office once again has received funding for a High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) initiative focused on pedestrian and bicycle safety, the agency has announced.
“Sarasota County ranks in the top 25 counties in Florida for traffic crashes resulting in serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists,” a news release points out. “To protect the safety of vulnerable road users,” the release says, the Sheriff’s Office will conduct HVE details “to increase awareness of and compliance with traffic laws that protect the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. Enforcement efforts will focus primarily on education; however, violations may result in warnings or citations,” the release adds.
These details will occur from Oct. 2 through May 10, 2024, “focusing on predetermined locations based on statistical crash data,” the release notes. Those areas follow:
- Tamiami Trail South from East Seminole Drive to Sunset Beach Drive.
- Clark Road from Rockefeller Avenue to Brooklyn Avenue.
- Tamiami Trail South from Alligator Road to Seaboard Avenue.
- Bee Ridge Road from Village Green Drive to Maceachen Boulevard.
- Bee Ridge Road from Sawyer Road to Asbury Place.
“Drivers are encouraged to always obey speed limits, never drive impaired, and watch out for pedestrians and bicyclists,” the release adds. “Bicyclists should obey traffic laws, ride in the direction of traffic, and use lights at night. Pedestrians are asked to cross in crosswalks or at intersections, obey pedestrian signals, and make sure they are visible to drivers when walking at night,” the release says.
Funding for this initiative is provided through a contract with the University of North Florida and the Institute of Police Technology and Management, in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation, the release notes. The Sheriff’s Office “will receive funds for overtime hours to conduct operations and special training on Florida’s bicycle and pedestrian laws, procedures, and best practices,” the release adds.