The police issued a number of sanctions in the supervision of traffic behaviour and safety of unprotected road users on 12 April. Cautions and traffic penalty fees were issued among others to cyclists for riding on the pavement and to drivers of light vehicles.
“Regrettably, there were failings in the behaviour of all road user groups. Once again, most intervention was on the pavement and involved road users who shouldn’t have been there,” says Chief Superintendent Heikki Kallio at the National Police Board.
During the day, the police had to intervene in incidents of cars stopping and parking on cycleways, pavements or too close to pedestrian crossings and issued eight parking tickets and one fine for these offences.
A total of 54 warnings and fines were issued to drivers of motorised vehicles who failed to give way at pedestrian crossings and continuations of cycle lanes.
Nearly 156 warnings or traffic penalty fees were issued to cyclists. Most of these were issued for riding on the pavement or for jumping red lights.
Drivers of light e-vehicles received 26 sanctions, mainly for driving on the pavement. Pedestrians guilty of walking against the red light resulted in the issue of 86 sanctions.
Kallio points out only children under the age of 12 may cycle on the pavement and only then where this does not significantly inconvenience pedestrians. In addition, self-balancing light e-vehicles that remain balanced when the vehicle is not moving or has no driver may be operated on the pavement. In which case, the driver must give unhindered passage to pedestrians.
The aim of the supervision day was to control the traffic behaviour and safety of unprotected road users. Supervision intervened in all traffic behaviour that jeopardised primarily the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and light e-vehicle drivers. Supervision focused in particular on compliance with traffic lights and driving on the pavement.
