WPD looking to secure grant funding for reflective vests to improve pedestrian safety

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the number of pedestrian fatalities has increased in recent years.

Just last year, Wilmington Police say there were five pedestrian deaths involving vehicles.

Biss Kistler is a Wilmington Police officer on the department’s traffic unit. She deals with serious injuries and deaths involving vehicles and pedestrians. The department is trying to reduce the number of pedestrian-involved crashes by making sure pedestrians and bikers are safe and visible.

“Make sure that you are crossing at a marked crosswalk because North Carolina General Statute doesn’t protect you if you’re not in that crosswalk,” Kistler said.

WWAY’s Sydney Bouchelle rode along with Kistler for her patrols on Tuesday night. During the ride, there were several people crossing busy roadways without using crosswalks. Many of those people were also wearing dark-colored clothing, so they were difficult to see in the dark.

In an effort to educate them, Kistler pulled over and shared advice with the people crossing the street to keep them safe in the future. For example, wearing light-colored clothing to make themselves more visible in the dark. In addition to the advice, she offered reflective vests and backpack covers to keep with them.

The people who received the vests say they believe they will be a helpful tool to keep with them to use when they are walking at night.

The police department is trying to secure a grant that would allow them to buy reflective items, like vests and backpack covers, to hand out to pedestrians and bike riders.

However, the reflective wearables don’t make much of a difference if drivers aren’t paying attention.

“As a driver, number one, put that phone down,” Kistler said. “That one second affects that perception/reaction time where if someone were to step into the roadway in front of you that’s one less second you have to stop.”

Staying safe, Kistler says is a two-way street and requires drivers and pedestrians both to do their part.

WWAY will continue to follow this story and share an update if WPD acquires the grant funding.