UT Police Department began a traffic safety initiative on Aug. 25 that focuses on bicycle and scooter riders, said Ivan Ramos, UTPD public information officer.
In addition to the officers’ regular duties, Ramos said the department will respond more proactively to bicycle and scooter riders breaking traffic laws, and their goal is to educate students on these laws. Ramos said UTPD has noticed riders violating traffic laws in previous years.
“Some people are just not aware that the bicycles and scooters need to abide by traffic laws,” Ramos said. “The main point of our initiative is so they understand you have to abide by the law.”
UTPD has done similar initiatives in the past, but Ramos said the department did not have enough officers last year. This year, he said the initiative is possible because the department graduated 18 officers.
“That is a significant number of officers in the streets compared to last year,” Ramos said. “For a small agency of 100 officers (and staff), 18 makes a difference.”
The department also added the West Campus Patrol District in a separate initiative, bringing more officers to West Campus, UTPD Chief Shane Streepy said at a press briefing on Aug. 26.
“They patrol on foot, bicycles and motorized vehicles in a way that maximizes mobility and public accessibility,” Streepy said at the press briefing.
Ramos said if the officers see a traffic law violation, they will address it. Traffic laws include bicycles riding on the right side of two-way roads and riders remaining on the right side of the shoulder, Ramos said. Two bicycles or two scooters cannot ride next to each other.
Ramos said the department noticed some riders will not stop for stop signs or red lights. At night, Ramos said bicycles should have a white front light and a red rear light for visibility. Electric riders must also adhere to the speed limit set for cars.
“If you don’t abide by the law, you’re going to have a crash,” Ramos said. “You’re going to hurt yourself, or you’re going to hurt somebody else because you did not yield. You’re crossing here when you weren’t supposed to cross here. You didn’t stop at the stop sign.”
Economics junior Daytona Fernandez said she saw police officers stop a person for scooter safety at the crossing of Whitis Avenue and 24th Street while walking to class after the initiative began.
“(The initiative is) a little necessary,” Fernandez said. “They go so fast, and they don’t really give normal pedestrians the right of way.”
