SANDPOINT — The Sandpoint Police Department is conducting its annual crosswalk emphasis program starting this month.

The program will continue through September, Chief Mark Lockwood said.

“The crosswalk program heightens the safety of pedestrians in Sandpoint. This program makes a positive emphasis in our community,” Lockwood said in a press release announcing this year’s program.

Over the past three years, multiple four-hour crosswalk safety operations have been conducted by the department. Officers observed 5,877 vehicles, 5,203 of which yielded to a pedestrian in a crosswalk and 671 of which didn’t, resulting in 489 citations being issued.

In 2009, there was a 6-percent decrease in vehicles failing to yield to pedestrians compared to 2008, Lockwood said.

The program began this month at multiple locations, which included but aren’t limited to the 300 block of First Avenue, First and Lake Street, Cedar Street at Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue at Poplar Street and Pine Street at Third Avenue. Other locations include U.S. Highway 2 at Westwood Drive, Boyer Avenue at Spruce Street, and on Division Avenue at Michigan, Spruce and Cedar streets.

During the operations, plainclothes officers will enter a crosswalk and uniformed patrol officers may cite motorists who fail to stop for the pedestrian as required by Idaho Code.

As has been done in past years, signs will be put up to advise motorists of the program and orange traffic cones will be used to delineate the beginning of a safe stopping distance prior to the crosswalk.

According to Idaho Code, drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians in a crosswalk. If another vehicle is stopped at a crosswalk for a pedestrian, it’s unlawful for a vehicle approaching from the rear to overtake and pass the stopped vehicle.

It’s unlawful for pedestrians to suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard, Idaho Code states.