Police intervened in violation of pedestrian crossing rules and unlawful riding on the pavement

Police intervened in violation of pedestrian crossing rules and unlawful riding on the pavement

Last week from 22-26 April, the police controlled the safety in traffic of vulnerable road users nationwide. Failure to comply with pedestrian crossing rules resulted in 239 operators of motorised vehicles receiving a traffic penalty fee.

Traffic penalty fees were issued to 25 operators of light e-vehicles and 39 cyclists.

Failure to obey a red traffic signal resulted in two operators of light e-vehicles, seven cyclists and 15 pedestrians receiving a traffic penalty fee.

Failure to heed the give-way rule resulted in one operator of a light e-vehicle and one cyclist receiving a traffic penalty fee.

A temporary driving ban was imposed on 15 holders of the right to drive.

"Compared to a similarly themed control campaign in spring last year, there was an increase in the number of traffic penalty fees issued in pedestrian crossing control, whereas the number of sanctions issued to cyclists and operators of light e-vehicles decreased. The challenging driving conditions of the late winter meant there were fewer light electric vehicles and cyclists on the road than earlier and this certainly contributed to the decrease in the number of sanctions issued," says Chief Superintendent Heikki Kallio at the National Police Board of Finland.

"It's concerning that traffic rules on pedestrian crossings continue to be violated to such an extent, despite advance information and media reports of serious traffic offences involving pedestrians being run over on pedestrian crossings," Kallio adds.