By TANYA SMITH
Inconsiderate drivers and pedestrians may have to face stiff penalties if Salt Lake City approves a proposal to increase traffic fines for jaywalkers and drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
'It's just a matter of court administrators reviewing and making the decision to make the changes,' said Roger Winkler, an administrator in Salt Lake Police Department.
Last week's proposal could increase the fine for jaywalking or failing to yield to an occupied crosswalk from $57 to $200. Winkler said accident rates in Salt Lake City were up 25 percent, and felt internal traffic from the I-15 construction was the main reason for the increase.
Ken Connaughton, assistant to the mayor of Salt Lake City, feels that the increase would make people think a little bit more before jaywalking or speeding through an occupied crosswalk.
'The fine for going through a crosswalk when it is occupied is now $57,' he said. 'This isn't a real great deterrent. It's less than some speeding tickets. When you raise the fines to $100, $150, or $200, it becomes more of a deterrent.'
Connaughton said the motorcycle unit of city police will likely be paying more attention to the crosswalks and pedestrian traffic.
'We want to raise awareness and are hoping to have a positive effect by charging (violators) a heck-of-a-lot more money,' he said.
Salt Lake's proposal came in the weeks after several children were killed in crosswalks in Northern Utah. According to an Associated Press news report, 11 people have been killed in automobile accidents in Salt Lake, six of them pedestrians. Last year 8 pedestrians were killed in automobile accidents.
The proposal to increase fines will be an administrative action, with the cooperation of several different branches of government, including the mayor, police, prosecutors and judges.
Brigham Young University has also seen an increase in the number of traffic-related accidents with injuries by over 50 percent from last year. In the 1995-96 school year (September 1, 1995 through September 1, 1996), there were 17 traffic-related accidents with injuries, compared to the 1996-97 number of 38.
BYU Police investigative secretary Lisa Dansie said the on-campus construction played a part in the increase.
'The construction makes it more confusing on where to go,' she said. 'People are more focused on getting to a location than on the driving conditions.'
BYU police fines jaywalkers $25. Drivers who fail to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk are fined $50.