Reno Police are encouraging drivers to slow down and watch out for people crossing the street.Â
"We've taken a look at our last 10 years worth of data of accidents, vehicle versus pedestrian accidents," said Sgt. Joe Robinson. "We found that 50 percent of those accidents, the pedestrians were at fault. About 42 percent of those accidents, the drivers were at fault, and of course, there's that 8 percent where we can't determine fault."
On Friday, officers spent hours enforcing safety laws at the intersection of North Virginia Street and Bailey Drive in north Reno. They picked this particular crosswalk because they say there has been a high-number of accidents there in recent years. One of the last ones tragically claimed the life of a 54-year old man back in late December.
Officials with the nearby Bonanza Casino have seen how dangerous it can be out there, and they are working with the city to make all of North Virginia safe to drive and walk on.
"The problem of pedestrian and car safety and North Virginia Street isn't isolated to just here," said Bonanza Casino General Manager Ryan Sheltra. "It is literally McCarran Boulevard to Panther Boulevard. This is a dark street where cars drive way too fast."
"NDOT is helping us look at the engineering of that road," Sgt. Robinson said. "See if there's a light, reduce the speed limit, something like that that can be done."
Friday, police were in the area monitoring how drivers react to pedestrians. We actually found some drivers zip through the intersection where non-uniform officers were crossing, after activating the pedestrian-crossing signal. Police say more than 20 tickets were given out for failing to stop for a pedestrian.
However, police say it is important for pedestrians to work with drivers on the road.
"The crosswalk is not a visible force-field that's going to keep you safe from a car hitting you," Sgt. Robinson said. "Make sure the car is stopped before you step out in that crosswalk."
A few other tips they offer is to, of course, wear bright-colored or reflective clothing at night. Make sure to always activate those pedestrian-crossing signals before getting in the crosswalk, and be sure to make eye-contact with drivers and make sure they are stopped.
