Police Target Drivers Who Don't Stop

BOSTON -- The Boston Police Department is going to unusual lengths to target drivers who don't stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.

Survey: Who's Worse? Drivers Or Pedestrians?

NewsCenter 5's Pam Cross reported that thousands of times a day, people on foot cross the path of vehicles. But too often, a lot of those vehicles don't stop. If the pedestrian is in the crosswalk, stopping is not an option -- it's mandatory.

But when the Boston police sent an officer in plain clothes to cross Tremont Street in the South End as part of Operation Crosswalk, sometimes cars stopped and sometimes they flew right by. Waiting just down the block was a no-nonsense special operations officer and a citation.

"We've had a number of people hit. We've had community complaints that it's unsafe to cross in crosswalks," Boston Police Department Deputy Supt. Tom Lee said.

The undercover officer tries to cross with her "baby." In this case, it's just a toy. Many attempts are successful, but a lot end with the driver pulled over. Pedestrians said that they welcomed the four-day police action.

"Some of them will give you time to get across. Some of them just pass you by, even though you are stepping in the pedestrian crosswalk, they don't stop sometimes," said resident Lizzie McFadden.

"It's surprising how many people won't stop," officer Leanne Hurley said. "It's good for us to be out here to make them aware."

In three hours, 62 drivers were stopped.

"It's the state law that the pedestrian, when they are in the crosswalk, they have the right of way," Lee said.