Jaywalkers beware: Police launch crackdown

The pedestrian 'scramble' crossing at Yonge and Dunday Streets on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008. (Patrick Dell/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Toronto police are turning their attention to rule-breaking pedestrians during March Break as part of a week-long campaign to raise awareness of safety risks.

From Monday, March 16 to Sunday, March 22, police will be targeting drivers, cyclists and pedestrians who commit traffic violations that could jeopardize pedestrian safety.

Police will be monitoring crosswalks and intersections, watching for jaywalkers crossing mid-block. Parking enforcement officers will concentrate on parking offences that may compromise the safety of pedestrians, police said.

According to police, between 50 and 60 per cent of fatal collisions involve pedestrians.

"To date, 71 per cent of all the fatalities reported this year have involved pedestrians," police said in a statement on Sunday.