SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Public Schools students are on spring break, and the City of Spokane is reminding drivers to slow down and watch for pedestrians.
According to the City of Spokane, police saw a 44 percent increase in pedestrian collisions in 2023 compared to 2022. The city said the main contributing factors to these crashes are people crossing the street inappropriately and inattentive drivers.
“We all need to do our part to keep Spokane streets safe,” Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said.
The City urges drivers to follow the rules of the road, including driving 20 miles per hour (mph) in school zones when marked or where flashing lights are activated, stopping for pedestrians at crosswalks, driving 25 mph on residential streets and 30 mph on arterial streets unless otherwise posted.
Pedestrians are asked to cross the street only on a “Walk” signal, and if there isn’t a signal, look left, right and left again before crossing at crosswalks or intersections.
The Spokane Police Department will watch for those not following the rules of the road. Tickets can run from $68 for not crossing the street at a crosswalk to $145 for a motorist failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
“Please be extra diligent in your driving habits as schools are out this week, more children and adults are outside on our streets and sidewalks with extended daylight hours and the warmer weather overall,” the city said.
