Dedham Police Department Awarded Grant to Enhance Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety

Editor's Note: The following informartion was contributed by the Dedham Police Department.

In an effort to make Dedham a safer place for our pedestrians and bicyclists, the Dedham Police Department will use a $3,000 grant provided by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security(EOPSS).  The funding is from $192,000 provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) specifically to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety.  Dedham is one of 48 police departments to receive this grant.

From 2006 to 2011, 1544 pedestrians were injured in crashes and of those 375 sustained fatal injuries, according to the Massachusetts Traffic Records Analysis Center (MassTRAC). During that same time frame, 586 bicyclists were injured in crashes with 45 resulting in death. 

Bicyclists and pedestrians are particularly vulnerable road users because they may not be immediately visible to drivers and unlike those in vehicles, nothing protects them from impact.  All users need to learn to share the road safely and be mindful of one another and the law.  The Dedham Police will use the grant for additional enforcement efforts which will help protect our pedestrians and cyclists from injuries and fatalities.

The grants will fund targeted enforcement and crosswalk decoy patrols.

The Dedham Police Department, in partnership with EOPSS, recognizes that traffic crashes are preventable and is committed to using this grant to reduce the number of motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries involving pedestrians and bicyclists because any death or injury on our roadways is one too many.