POCATELLO — Now that school’s back in session and there’s more foot and vehicle traffic on the roads, Pocatello police are reminding drivers to watch for and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.

While they are always on the lookout for crosswalk violations, police upped their enforcement during the last week of September.

“We’re trying to get people to slow down and pay attention to people in crosswalks,” said Capt. Cliff Kelley of the Pocatello Police Department.

Police focused on areas where they’ve had some safety concerns due to heavy traffic or violations. For instance, they recently monitored the intersection of Olympus Drive and Baldy Avenue.

Kelley said it’s a wide intersection and a busy one.

“A lot of times it’s difficult for people to get through on a crosswalk, especially if people aren’t yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk. It becomes dangerous,” Kelley said.

There have been at least two vehicle versus pedestrian accidents in recent weeks. While one in the area of Chubbuck Road and Burley Drive in Chubbuck caused only minor injuries, another on the 1000 block of Yellowstone Avenue in Pocatello, tragically, led to the death of a 55-year-old man.

The man, who was wearing dark clothes and using a dark-colored walker, was attempting to cross the road around 9:45 p.m. Sept. 17, authorities said. He was not in a crosswalk when that accident occurred.

Kelley urges pedestrians to use crosswalks — where drivers are more likely to be watching for them — whenever they’re available. They should also pay attention to their surroundings, watching for vehicles that may still be moving, he said.

“Cars are supposed to yield to them, but they need to be aware still as they’re going across,” Kelley said.

Under Idaho law, pedestrians in crosswalks have the right-of-way.

Idaho Statute 49-702 states: “When traffic-control signals are not in place or not in operation the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping, if need be, to yield to a pedestrian crossing the highway within a crosswalk.”

In addition, the statute says drivers approaching from the rear can’t pass another vehicle that has stopped for a pedestrian.

The law also says pedestrians shouldn’t suddenly dart out in front of a vehicle that may be too close to stop.

Pocatello police also monitored portions of Butte Street, near Gate City Elementary, and Jefferson Avenue as part of their recent special enforcements.

While they stopped multiple people for violations, Kelley said they don’t just want to enforce the law, but also raise awareness about crosswalks and address any problems that may exist.

Kelley said they work with the city’s street department to ensure the crosswalk zones are well marked.

“We would like to be able to provide every crosswalk with warning lights, but it’s not practical,” Kelley said.

Still, they want to do everything they can to make such areas as safe as possible.

“We work with them (and try to) get the latest signage that’s proven effective in other areas,” Kelley said.