FORT MYERS, Fla – There’s a push this legislative session to make mid-block crosswalks safer for pedestrians.
As our sister station WPTV reported, the new bills (HB 1371 and SB 1000) filed this week, propose changing flashing lights from yellow to red, or removing them all together.
If passed, the proposal is something we would see implemented throughout the state of Florida by October of 2024.
Lawmakers behind it feel strongly that it would stop deadly accidents involving pedestrians at mid-block crosswalks, saying red is the best way to signal to a driver that it's time to stop.
The push comes after a recent deadly incident in Brevard County, where a 12-year-old was killed after being hit by a car in a mid-block crosswalk.
In Southwest Florida, some mid-block crosswalks like the one along McGregor Boulevard near Edison Ford Winter Estates already have safety features in place that are similar to what lawmakers want to see done.
