By MADDY VITALE and DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Sea Isle City’s traffic surges with visitors coming to the beach town for vacation in the summer.
The resort hasn’t had any incidents of pedestrians being struck by cars this year, and it has been at least several years since any accidents have happened, officials said.
Capt. Anthony Garreffi, officer in charge of Sea Isle’s police department, said the city would like to keep it that way. He and the department are urging motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists to heed all of the traffic safety laws to do their part to make it a safe summer season.
“We’ve been lucky so far, but we highly suggest that bicyclists and pedestrians follow the rules of the road,” Garreffi said in an interview. “That’s the best way to keep them safe.”
The police department has rolled out its summer public safety campaign, which urges pedestrians to walk at the crosswalks and never walk in front of cars or in between parked cars and for bicyclists to follow the “rules of the road.”
As the busy summer season gets underway, pedestrians and bicyclists share the roads with more motor vehicle traffic.
Garreffi’s advice is to “take it slow and play it safe.”
He noted that motor vehicles have to stop for pedestrians if they are in the crosswalks.
But he also stressed that pedestrians have their own responsibility when they are out on the road.
Pedestrians need to make sure drivers see them before stepping out into traffic.
“They need to present themselves in the crosswalk and try to make eye contact with the driver,” Garreffi said. “What concerns us is people crossing between parked cars. That is very dangerous. They should always try to cross the street at corners.”
He said the situation is especially true with the bigger SUVs on the roadways these days. If someone walks out into the street between parked cars or SUVs, an oncoming driver may not see them.
“It is dangerous,” Garreffi said.
He also emphasized another aspect of the public safety campaign, which focuses on bike safety.
When bikes are out on the road, just like cars and trucks, they have to adhere to the traffic laws.
“If they are on their bike, they are not considered pedestrians and must follow the rules of the road,” Garreffi said.
But if a bicyclist gets off his or her bike and walks it across the street, then that person is considered a pedestrian, Garreffi explained.
He suggested that bicyclists get off their bikes to cross at traffic lights and corners, just like pedestrians.
As with pedestrian safety, city police officers are watching to make sure bikers are following safety precautions and following traffic safety laws.
If a police officer sees a pedestrian or biker doing something unsafe, the officer will, if possible, talk to them in an “information stop,” Garreffi said.
In the past, Sea Isle has had plainclothes police officers pose as pedestrians walking around on the street to make sure that drivers are obeying the rules of the road and treating pedestrians properly.
“There’s always the possibility,” Garreffi said of putting plainclothes officers on the street to observe motorist and pedestrian safety this summer.
Another component of the safety campaign is signage throughout town and literature. Police may also be handing out safety pamphlets.
Signs are already displayed in town offering pedestrian safety tips. A new pedestrian safety sign will be placed on the tennis court fence at the Dealy Field recreational complex.
