FHP renews Arrive Alive campaign amid rising fatalities

In light of Lee County's recent ranking as the most dangerous area in the country for pedestrians, it's great to see the Florida Highway Patrol, the Lee County School District, and Stay Alive...Just Drive, Inc., along with other community partners, launch a campaign yesterday to address distracted driving.  Human behavior is one of the causes of our high roadway fatality rates--in general, and specifically for pedestrians and cyclists.  As the FHP official said, "Lead by example," ...encourage parents to talk to children and employers to talk with workers about problems associated with the use of cell phones and other devices while driving."

News-Press, by Michael Braun, Jan. 23, 2017

The carnage on Florida's roads has gotten so bad, the Florida Highway Patrol has revived a program it started 46 years ago.

Florida Highway Patrol officers and representatives from a number of Lee and Collier county police agencies, schools and hospitals announced the renewal of the Arrive Alive campaign on Monday.

(Photo: Michael Braun/The News-Press)

"In 2015, our serious injury crashes increased by 3 percent and our fatality crashes jumped by 17.7 percent," said FHP, Major John F. Baumann, commander of SWFL's Troop F.

Lee County roads recorded more than a 10 percent rise in fatalities in 2016 with 108 traffic deaths reported, the highest number since 2006 when 121 were killed.

FHP will focus on more than just writing tickets. Besides enforcement it will educate, as well as using data to pinpoint roads and intersections where fatal crashes happen, Baumann said. The state will make possible fixes to make the roads safer.

The main roads being targeted in Lee County are U.S. 41, State Road 82 and I-75, said Lt. Greg Bueno, a spokesman for the FHP.

"We will put our focus on these areas," he said.

Florida had been experiencing consistent decreases in highway fatality rates for close to 20 years, with a low of 1.24 fatalities per million vehicle miles traveled in 2014.

Population growth, lower gas prices and more cars on the road were cited for the increase, along with distracted driving.

Jay Anderson, a local safe driver authority, was among representatives from a handful of Lee and Collier county agencies who helped launch the renewal of the Florida Highway Patrol's Arrive Alive campaign. A double-digit rise in statewide fatal cashes was cited for the renewal effort.
 
"Lead by example," Baumann said, and encouraged parents to talk to children and employers to talk with workers about problems associated with the use of cell phones and other devices while driving.

Ken Dobson from Lee County Schools warned about careless driving. He cited a recent special one-day study showing that 334 drivers illegally passed school buses in the county.

"These are buses with red flashing lights and stop arms down," he said. "We implore drivers to be more careful."

"Ultimately, the person behind the wheel or handlebars is supposed to be in control of the safe operation of the vehicle," said Jay Anderson of the Stephen Emerson Driving School of Fort Myers and executive director of Stay Alive ... Just Drive Inc. "Safe driving is no accident."

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Statewide road fatalities

2012: 2430

2013: 2402

2014: 2494

2015: 2955

2016: 3213

Source: Florida Highway Patrol

Lee County fatalities

2016, 108

2015, 95

2014, 81

2013, 92

2012, 64

2011, 75

2010, 65

2009, 80

2008, 77

2007, 106

2006, 121

2005, 150

2004, 108

2003, 121

2002, 71

2001, 113

2000, 103

Is Lee, Collier becoming safer for cyclists?

News-Press continues their "Share the Road Florida" campaign with another excellent article looking back on SWFL bike/ped safety in 2015 and finds indications of improvement.  The article includes interviews with BWL, NPC, FHP, and SAJD.  As Jay Anderson of SAJD says, "Change comes with awareness over time."  Let's keep the awareness front and center in 2016 as we continue our marathon to safer streets for all users.

News-Press Jan. 5, 2015 by Janine Zeitlin
http://www.news-press.com/story/news/2016/01/04/lee-collier-getting-safer-cyclists-cycling-florida/78052160/

For the first time in years, numbers reflect some curtailing of the bike crash crisis.

(Photo: Kinfay Moroti/news-press.com)

SERIES: Share the Road Florida

Remember the woman who reportedly spat on a Naples bicyclist after driving into him?
Or the man who plowed into bicyclists on Fort Myers Beach? In the bloody aftermath, reports said he told a doctor, “I should have hit them harder.”
Then, there was the guy who shot at a cyclist in Cape Coral who asked him to slow down.
That all happened in 2014, a year of horror stories for bicyclists in Southwest Florida.
It was the same year Lee County hit a 14-year high for bike injuries and ranked third in the state for bicyclist fatalities. Florida is the most lethal state in the nation for bicyclists.

The sorry state of safety galvanized advocates, some local cities and politicians, law enforcement and the media toward solutions. The News-Press began its Share the Road campaign in 2014.

Then came 2015, and while it’s too soon to declare a road culture shift, the climate is looking less grim for bicyclists.

“We’ve broken through in terms of the community conversation about it,” said Darla Letourneau of the coalition BikeWalkLee.

It’s the first time in recent years that there hasn’t been a sharp increase in bike crashes in Lee County even as the number of overall traffic crashes spiked to total more than 10,000. (Though bike crashes represent only about 2 percent of overall traffic crashes, bicyclists, like walkers or motorcyclists, are prone to life-altering injuries when struck.)

Bike crashes dropped in Collier County from 137 to 100, hitting the lowest total since 2011.
There's also been fewer high-profile criminal reports of drivers intentionally targeting bicyclists.

SWFL Critical Mass bike riders  (Photo: News-Press)

“There are still very many people who believe that bicyclists don’t belong on the roads but, compared to a year ago, there are more people that understand that bicyclists have a right to be there and are going to be there,” said Ted Zelman, a Naples attorney who represents bike crash victims and is on the board of Naples Velo bike club.

He rides about four times a week.

“You get honked at less and fewer cars are buzzing you.”

Beth Brainard, executive director of the Naples Pathways Coalition, notices that more, even most, drivers now give bicyclists the three feet of space mandated by Florida law. That courtesy was not the norm two years ago, she said.

Photo: Kinfay Moroti/news-press.com

Zelman and Brainard pointed to a 2014 bike crash that seriously injured well-known Naples lawyer Chuck Kelly as one rallying point for change. The driver received a $170 fine for what was perceived as reckless driving.

Brainard also credited awareness-builders such as, NPC’s Share the Road rides, bike-friendly signage and infrastructure, media coverage and the legislative push from Rep. Kathleen Passidomo to better protect vulnerable road users. Passidomo’s law partner is Chuck Kelly. His wife, Tish, has been instrumental in lobbying for steeper penalties for drivers who injure riders, motorcyclists and walkers.

There’s also been a push for improvements in Lee County, which has ranked in the top 10 in the state for bike and pedestrian crashes. Cape Coral leaders and advocates pulled together to map out safer and scenic bike routes. A Cape Coral Bike-Ped volunteer says it's led to more people riding.
Florida Highway Patrol has been visiting high schools, doing quarterly outreach in hot-spots and installing bike lights to increase visibility. Fort Myers Police and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office received grants for bicyclist and pedestrian outreach. The progress has been notable in cities like Naples and Cape Coral, which recently received coveted bike-friendly awards from the League of American Bicyclists.

(Photo: Kinfay Moroti/news-press.com)

Change comes with awareness over time, said Jay Anderson, executive director of Fort Myers-based Stay Alive … Just Drive! and a driving instructor.

“If you keep it out in the forefront and you make people aware, hopefully when you’re driving down that road and you do see that bicyclist, instead of people saying, ‘Those idiots don’t belong on the road’ you give them more room.”

As of late December, state data showed 226 Lee bike crashes in 2015, about the same number as 2014. Deaths dropped from 9 in 2014 to 4 in 2015.

Letourneau was cautiously optimistic about the figures given assumptions that the population is growing, as are the number of people walking and biking.

 (Pedestrian crashes in Lee and Collier did increase somewhat over the past year.)

But road design is still a worry. Florida’s fast, wide roads are often blamed for making it so perilous to walk and bike. Intersections are particularly dangerous. Lt. Greg Bueno of Florida Highway Patrol said a common local crash happens when a driver turning right fails to watch for a walker or bicyclist coming the other way.

Letourneau praised the Florida Department of Transportation for its recently released complete streets implementation plan, which will change the way state roads are planned and designed and make those roads safer for all users. Lee County and its cities have adopted complete streets policies but have lagged in on-the-ground changes.

Research has shown it’s safer to walk and bike in places where more people bike and walk so a not-so-horrible year could bring more positive ones.  Yet, one year does not signal a trend.

“That’s our hope,” said Lt. Bueno, “but we also know from years past how quickly it can fluctuate the other way.”
 

Share the Road

THE NEWS-PRESS

Florida bike crashes: 7 things that may shock you

Paths of peril

 

FHP pedestrian safety detail conducted Feb. 17th

FHP and LCSO conducted another quarterly pedestrian safety detail on Feb. 17th at the intersection of Martin Luther King Blvd. and Cottage Streets and Monroe Street. Thanks to officers for equipping 137 bikes with lights today!                           
   OPERATION P.E.D.S.

(Pedestrian Education and Developing Safety)

Fort Myers, Fla. -   On February 17, 2015, the Florida Highway Patrol, along with the Fort Myers Police Department, completed the first quarterly wave of the 2015 Operation P.E.D.S. (Pedestrian Education and Developing  

Safety details) on SR 82 (Martin Luther King Boulevard). The detail began at 1:00 pm and concluded at 5:00 pm.  Troopers looked for pedestrian, bicycle and motorist violations that occur at or near intersections. In 2014, there were 524 total crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians, 25 of which were fatal. The purpose of this detail was to decrease the amount of injuries and deaths through a series of highly concentrated education and enforcement details in areas prone to pedestrian and bicyclist involved crashes.                                                                       

• Traffic safety educational information was provided to:

• 402 Pedestrians provided safety brochures along with safety equipment (reflective vest, reflective bracelets and key chain lights) to those in need
• 184 Bicyclists provided safety brochures along with safety equipment (bicycle head lights, bells and reflectors) to those in need

              ****Troopers personally equipped 137 bicycles with headlight and taillights****

In total, there were 586 citizen contacts made

The following roadways were found to have the highest concentration of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes- U.S. 41 (Cleveland Avenue), State Road 80 (Palm Beach Blvd.), Lee Boulevard, Estero Boulevard and State Road 78 (Bayshore Road). It was further determined that the majority of the crashes occurred during the afternoon hours on Wednesdays.  FHP will continue to conduct this type of pedestrian/bicycle safety details on a quarterly basis.

Safety Tips for Pedestrians

·         Use Designated Walking Areas Whenever Possible Walk on sidewalks and in crosswalks whenever possible. Pay attention to walk signals and keep a safe distance when standing on street corners. ·         Be Sure to Be Seen Be careful of blind spots when walking near or around a vehicle. Assume the driver does not see you. ·         Proceed with Caution when crossing intersections and streets. ·         Stand Out Wear bright or reflective clothing, especially when walking in the dark. Carry a flashlight, too, for added protection.

·         Look Out for Wide Loads Keep your distance when walking around large trucks carrying wide loads because the driver may not see you.

Sharing the Roadway as a Vehicle:

• Every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian or bicycle.
• The driver of a vehicle at an intersection that has a traffic control signal shall stop at the marked stop line or if none before entering crosswalk.
• The driver of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle or other non-motorized vehicle must pass…. at a safe distance of not less than 3 feet between the vehicle and the bicycle or other non-motorized vehicle.

Florida Highway Patrol launches hit-and-run awareness campaign

Today FHP held a press conference to launch an awareness campaign to address the increasing number of hit-and-run crashes in Florida.  Between 2012 and 2014, cases of hit-and-run collisions in Lee County increased by 50 percent, and we know that a disproportionate number of the victims are pedestrians and cyclists.  As a society, there should be zero tolerance for drivers who hit and run.

 

News-Press 2/16/15
by Michael Braun:  With hit and runs on the rise, agencies increase awareness

The pain clearly stays with the families of those killed in a hit and run crash.

"My life got pulled out from under me," said Lesley Colantonio, wife of Richard Colantonio, who was killed in a hit and run crash on I-75 in January. "I'm hoping that someone saw something."

"Its hard to go through holidays and birthdays," said Misty Snyder, whose brother Charles was killed in a hit and run crash in November. "I don't think it is something that anyone becomes complete OK with."

Snyder and Colantonio were part of a concerted educational effort Monday by the Florida Highway Patrol and several area law enforcement agencies to educate to public on their responsibility in a crash.

"If you decide to leave the scene of a crash you make the situation worse," said Lt. Dennis Petraca of the Lee County Sheriff's Office. He added that it is a first degree felony if there is a death involved and a third degree felony if injury is involved, in these types of crashes.

Lt. Greg Bueno of the FHP said a change in the law in October made the penalty more severe for hit and ruin crashes. "All motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists need to become educated in the law," he said.

The emphasis on hit and run crashes comes from their increasing numbers in the state.

Between 2012 and 2014, cases of hit-and-run collisions in Lee County increased by 50 percent. The increase in Collier County over the same period of time is 41 percent.

FHP Capt. Conner Cardwell said hit and run crashes in Florida rose from 72,000 in 2013 to 84,000 in 2014 with 25 percent of all crashes being the hit and run variety. He said that the answer to reducing the number of such crashes in Florida is through education.

"Working together we can reduce the number of hit and runs,"Cardwell said.



o 2014: Pedestrian

•  91 fatalities resulted from a hit and Run crashes (78 in 2013)

•  2,148 total hit and run crashes involved Pedestrians (2008 in 2013)

o 2014: Bicycle

• 24 fatalities resulted from Hit and Run crashes (25 in 2013)

• 1,215 hit and run crashes involved a Bicycle (1,217 in 2013)

o 2014: Motorcycle

• 22 fatalities resulted from hit and run crashes (19 in 2013) 
•  
• 1,148 hit and run crashes involved motorcycles (1,059 in 2013)

Florida Highway Patrol focuses this week on bicycle and pedestrian safety during Child Safety Awareness Month

 Believe it or not, school starts next week and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) has launched a Child Safety Awareness Month to remind everyone to watch out for children.  Each week this month, there is a different theme.  This week's focus is on bicycle and pedestrian safety!  Last week's focus was on being alert while backing out.  Next week's focus is on school bus stop safety.

Please assist with providing these tips to others in your networks/organizations/circles. Watch the video and share it with your "friends" on Facebook.    This is part of BikeWalkLee's ongoing campaign to make our streets safer for everyone, including and especially children.  Thanks!

 If any additional information or an FHP interview is needed, please get in touch with Greg Bueno:

GregBueno@flhsmv.gov.

Click here to watch FHP's Promotional Video