BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Just three days before Christmas, 12-year-old Sophia Nelson was crossing A1A near Ellwood Avenue in Satellite Beach at a marked crosswalk in the middle of the block. The yellow flashing lights came on and an approaching car slowed.
It didn’t stop.
Now, Florida lawmakers are calling for improvements to these crosswalks.
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“Yellow does not mean stop red does and would eliminate Pedestrian crosswalk lights that flash yellow which is led to many deaths in Florida,” said Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, the bill’s sponsor in the House.
Fine’s bill mirrors a Senate version that is also advancing. The bills would require a traffic study for any mid-block crossing on a road with a speed limit greater than 30 mph, with red lights telling drivers to stop.
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While nobody questions the need for increased safety, there are concerns about the cost of the bill and its effectiveness.
Florida would need to get a waiver from the federal government for the red lights, something that could take years and still not happen. Cities and counties would also have to pay for the cost of upgrades depending on the number of crosswalks each has, this could be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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Meanwhile, studies show distracted drivers, especially those travelling at speeds greater than 30 mph, do not respond as quickly to many crossings.
Even still, the bills are both advancing in the Legislature and could be passed before the end of the session.
Cox Media Group
