KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Central Florida has earned a reputation for being a dangerous place on foot. And believe it or not, the time change this week actually makes this one of the most dangerous weeks of the year on the road.
- Operation Best Foot Forward started on Friday
- Law enforcement will give tickets to drivers who don't stop at crosswalks
"Really, during this week and actually for the whole month of November and going into December there are many more pedestrian and driver crashes," said Bike/Walk Central Florida Executive Director Amanda Day.
The National Center for Biotechnology Information released a study says that the end of daylight savings time shows an increase in the number of auto crashes.
That is why the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, the Kissimmee Police Department and Bike/Walk Central Florida are teaming up for Operation Best Foot Forward on Friday.
Plainclothes deputies and officers will walk across marked crosswalks and if drivers do not stop, they will have to pay up.
Violating the crosswalk law costs at least $166 and three points on a driver's license.
Just 12 percent of drivers yield at the crosswalk at Buenaventura Boulevard and Briarwood Drive in Kissimmee.
"All of a sudden I hear these screeching tires, and I ended up almost on top of the hood," said Betsy Ares-Lopez, who had a narrow escape during one of her morning walks.
So far this year, 75 pedestrians have been hit, nine people killed, crossing the street in Osceola County.
"People have no courtesy over here. It's like they don't yield to any of the pedestrians, they don't yield to the lights," said Ares-Lopez.
Day says the ending of Daylight Saving Time throws everything out of whack, including drivers' behaviors.
"It has to deal with your sleep," she said.