SAUGERTIES >> At a public forum on pedestrian safety, Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra strongly defended his department’s aggressive enforcement effort as essential to the community’s tourism economy.
Sinagra said the Wednesday night session was prompted by complaints from some merchants and residents that the enforcement effort – which can include tickets for drivers and pedestrians breaking traffic laws — would drive away tourists.
Sinagra said he won’t back down from enforcing laws that regulate drivers and pedestrians on town and village roads.
If Saugerties were to get a reputation as a place that’s unsafe for pedestrians, local merchants would suffer, he said. And if his department stops enforcing pedestrian laws, the town and village could be exposed to enormous liability.
“One lawsuit could bankrupt the town or village,” he said.
The department took a strong stance on pedestrian safety efforts after three pedestrian fatalities – two in the town and one in the village – in a six-month period in 2013 and 2014, the chief said.
He said the number or car-pedestrian accidents increased from nine to 14 from 2012 to 2013, pushing Saugerties above the national average for pedestrian incidents in communities of its size.
A decline to seven car-pedestrian accidents in 2014 points to the program’s success, Sinagra said.
So far this, year there have two car-pedestrian accidents in Saugerties, neither of which was fatal.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Sinagra detailed the various traffic laws and the responsibilities of drivers and pedestrians.
At a crosswalk without pedestrian signals, drivers must yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, he said, cautioning that pedestrians must give a driver a reasonable amount of time to stop their vehicles and not just dart out into traffic.
At a crosswalk with signals, he said, pedestrians must never cross when the red hand is up. He said one pedestrian was ticketed last year in the village after being struck by a car after entering a crosswalk while the red hand was displayed.
Pedestrians may cross the street where there are no crosswalks but must do so at a 90 degree angle, and they must yield to vehicles, the chief said.
Sinagra, his department does not make money from writing tickets and that only a small percentage of ticket revenue goes to the town and village.
“Most of the revenue goes to the state,” he said.
In most cases, offenders are given a warning, but names are recorded on a spreadsheet and repeat offenders, or people who become argumentative with officers, can be ticketed, Sinagra said.
Pedestrian fines can be as high as $200.
Education is a big component of the department’s pedestrian safety efforts, the chief said, noting efforts to educate residents and tourists could include innovative initiatives like putting pedestrian safety messages on drink coasters in local restaurants and public service announcements on TV.
Residents suggested also taking education efforts to social media and having a competition in which high school students produce safety videos.
Attendees also suggested adding crosswalks, especially on Partition Street in the village.