Police Zero In On Jaywalkers This Month

Look before you cross, police say.

Through the end of February, the Santa Monica Police Department said its motor officers will zero in on pedestrians who jaywalk, walk against a red light or "don't walk symbol" and who fail to yield to the right-of-way of oncoming traffic.

Each month throughout 2012, the department's traffic enforcement division is cracking down on different illegal driving habits. Last month, it was cell phone use. Although not a driving behavior, "pedestrian violations" are one of the leading causes of collisions, the department said.

• Related:

The greater Los Angeles area is considered to be one of the most dangerous metropolitan areas in the country for pedestrians, according to data tracked by the national advocacy group, Transportation for America.

Santa Monica itself is notorious for such accidents. Walkers are routinely hit—sometimes killed—as they cross without traffic lights on major thouroufares and in busy downtown intersections. In August of 2011, Transportation for America mapped out 24 pedestrian deaths as having occurred in Santa Monica from 2000-09.

Last year, there were 105 such collisions in Santa Monica. Five people died:

• Unnamed Homeless (next of kin have not been located): Struck Oct. 26 while crossing against a red light at Lincoln Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard;
• , 82, of Los Angeles: Struck July 20 while walking in a crosswalk at 26th Street and Georgina;
• Corina Montero, 80, of Los Angeles: Struck July 14 while walking outside of a crosswalk on Pico Boulevard and 26th street;
• , 24, of West Los Angeles: Struck by a taxi driving while running into the street in the 2400 Block of Wilshire Boulevard;
• , 64, Homeless in Santa Monica: Struck Feb. 21 while crossing Ocean Avenue north of Arizona