PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is educating people to help keep walkers and bikers safe.
"It makes your heart skip a few beats, and you have to reconsider 'Did I do the right thing, did they do the right thing?' And it's not anything you want to be in for sure," said Kristin Reynolds who bikes regularly along the Pinellas Trail in Dunedin.
She said sometimes it's dangerous.
"Sometimes you know, stopping at the four-way stop, it's like, 'ok we all stopped, but is it ok to go? Is it not?' There have been some close calls too," said Reynolds.
Alex Spuria works at The Bike Lab in Dunedin and hears stories all the time about drivers and bikers not following rules.
"They can get to a stop sign…'Oh, I'm already going a certain speed, might as well keep that momentum," said Spuria.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said there's typically a rise in pedestrian vehicle crashes during the Summer time.
"Especially with there being so many more people during Summertime, you know people are down on vacation, and things like that, so we just feel it's an important initiative around this time," said Jamie Miller with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office just renewed its contract to educate people about biker and pedestrian safety.
"We have different educational materials that we will be handing out. There will be warnings and citations given out if need be," said Miller.
Officials said a big focus needs to be on educating people from out of town about the rules we have here when it comes to biking and walking.
Spuria said he always takes a moment to remind people about bicycle safety rules.
"Keep in a single file line on the trail if you have four to six people within your group. Not only that, but definitely stopping at stop signs," said Spuria.
"They need to be aware that they’re putting families at risk”
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