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Happy St. Patty’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, so we thought we would share a rather unusual news story about how some cities celebrate the holiday.  Come Las Vegas police officers have been dressing up as leprechauns all week to try and enforce pedestrian crossing regulations.  Anyone who has been to the strip knows that it is crowded with people—both in cars and on foot.  In order to help protect those who aren’t protected by a vehicle, police officers will be crossing ‘under cover’ in costume to help ensure that visitors can cross streets safely. The article can be found below.

With St. Patrick’s Day coming this weekend, Las Vegas Metro police are employing the use of green-clad “leprechaun” officers in an all-day pedestrian enforcement sting.

Metro started conducting the enforcement detail Tuesday morning at crosswalk locations throughout Las Vegas.

Despite the unusual use of costuming an officer crossing the street, Metro is pointing at the all-too real consequences of vehicle collisions with pedestrians.

Metro said the green should give drivers every opportunity to see the officer and yield to him.

Metro Officer Michael Lemley has served as a costumed officer in the past.

“Yield rates in December when Santa took to the crosswalk were the highest ever, and our goal is education, not citation, so we’re actually happy when everyone stops,” Officer Lemley said.

Lemley also served as “Officer Butterball” during the Thanksgiving week enforcement last year.

Metro police said the model of the enforcement stemmed from those used in Washington State, where traditional enforcement was not working.

Police said Clark County has seen a 50 percent rise in automobile fatalities, including those involving pedestrians. Police say they want to take every opportunity to save lives and educate all road users.

Metro also is focusing on speeding as drivers have less reaction time to stop before they hit a pedestrian.

According to police, about 85 percent of those hit by a vehicle at 15 mph survive. For a vehicle speeding at 40 mph, about 85 percent of those hit will die.

Do events like these convince you that much is being done to keep pedestrians safe? What do you think?

To link to original article: http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/17138798/leprechaun-to-be-used-in-pedestrian-enforcement?hpt=ju_bn6

By: Matthew R. Crane

Imagine the following scenario – you are behind a vehicle at a stop light and the light turns green but for some inexplicable reason the driver in front of you does not go.  The drivers’ head, which was looking down, suddenly snaps up upon realizing the light has changed and the driver guns the gas.  Or maybe you are behind a vehicle on the highway that is swerving erratically and struggling to maintain a constant speed.  As you pull up beside the vehicle you notice the driver is again staring down rather than watching the road.  It doesn’t take a genius to know these drivers are texting while driving.  Most of us have witnessed at least one of these scenarios.  In fact, there is probably at least one time in the past when many of us have been the guilty driver.  No big deal though, right?  Just a quick text to let someone know when you are getting home or a short text to see how their day is going.  No harm done, right?

The reality is that driving while texting, while seemingly innocent in intention, can be very dangerous.  Some studies have shown that texting while driving is comparable to driving while under the influence and in many cases it is actually more dangerous than drunk driving.  In fact, university studies have shown that a person texting at the wheel is comparable to someone whose blood alcohol content is twice the legal limit.  The distraction caused to a texting driver can often result in the driver taking their eyes off the road for the amount of time it takes to cover a full football field.  Just imagine what could happen on a roadway in that amount of distance without the ability to react.

It is for that reason that Utah has very strict laws against the practice of texting or emailing while driving.  Under the current law, texting while driving can result in a $750 fine and up to 90 days in jail.  If injury is caused to another as a result of the offense, a driver can receive a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.  And in the worst case scenario, if a fatality should occur as the result of texting and driving, the driver could face a $10,000 fine and fifteen years in prison.  Avoid the possibility of any of these scenarios by waiting until you have reached your destination to check your inbox or send that urgent text.