Best Foot Forward Pedestrian Safety Program | Bike/Walk Central Florida

Best Foot Forward, the nation’s largest grassroots pedestrian safety initiative, partners with communities across Florida to make crosswalks safer by increasing the number of drivers who stop for people crossing.

What is Best Foot Forward?

Best Foot Forward is a pedestrian safety initiative focused on improving behavior at crosswalks by increasing the number of drivers who stop for people crossing. The program centers on one clear, measurable goal: making crosswalks safer through consistent, visible, and data-informed strategies.

Rather than relying on a single solution, Best Foot Forward brings together education, enforcement, engineering, and evaluation to address crosswalk safety in a coordinated way. This approach helps communities better understand driver behavior, improve visibility and awareness, and track progress over time.

Why Crosswalk Safety Matters

Crosswalks are intended to provide a predictable, safer place for people to cross the street, yet many drivers do not consistently stop as required by law. When yielding behavior is unclear or inconsistent, it increases the risk of serious injuries and loss of life.

Every day in the United States,

more than 200

pedestrians are killed or injured

Many of these crashes happen while people are simply crossing the street and underscore how important driver behavior is at crosswalks. When drivers clearly understand when to stop, and do so consistently, crossings become safer, more visible, and easier to navigate for everyone.


In Florida, failing to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk carries a minimum $164 fine and 3 points on the driver's license—a reminder that this is not only a safety issue, but a legal responsibility.

How the Best Foot Forward Program Works

Best Foot Forward improves crosswalk safety through a coordinated, data-driven approach that focuses on changing behavior, strengthening partnerships, and measuring results over time. The program is built around four core strategies that work together to reduce conflicts and improve safety for people crossing the street.


Together, these strategies create a flexible, scalable model that communities can adapt to their local needs while maintaining a consistent focus on crosswalk safety.

Best Foot Forward raises awareness of Florida’s crosswalk laws and safe behaviors through community outreach, events, presentations, and visible campaigns that reach drivers, pedestrians, and community partners.

Educate

Best Foot Forward works in coordination with local law enforcement agencies to support high-visibility enforcement operations that emphasize education, reinforce driver responsibility, and encourage long-term behavior change rather than punishment.

Enforce

The program uses data to help communities evaluate and prioritize low-cost engineering countermeasures, such as signage, markings, and visibility improvements, that support safer crossings.

Engineer

Evaluation is the foundation of Best Foot Forward. The program collects and analyzes driver yield data, inventories crosswalk characteristics, and tracks progress over time to inform education, enforcement, and engineering efforts.

Evaluate

Who is Best Foot Forward For?

Best Foot Forward is designed to support a wide range of audiences working toward safer crosswalks and more predictable driver behavior. The program is relevant to anyone involved in improving pedestrian safety at the community level.


  • Community members and advocates concerned about crosswalk safety
  • Local governments and public agencies responsible for transportation and roadway safety
  • Transportation, planning, and public works professionals seeking data-informed approaches
  • Community organizations and safety leaders working to improve walkability and access


Best Foot Forward provides a flexible framework that can support different needs, from understanding driver behavior at a specific crossing to exploring broader strategies for improving pedestrian safety across a community.

Interested in Best Foot Forward?

Have questions, want to learn more, or exploring how Best Foot Forward could support pedestrian safety in your community? We’d love to hear from you and help point you in the right direction.

Contact our team to learn more.

Best Foot Forward News & Updates

Explore recent articles, updates, and stories that highlight crosswalk safety efforts, program milestones, and community impact.

Police motorcycle and pickup truck at an intersection. A person crosses the street. Stop sign visible.

Crosswalk Enforcement Back in Action as Students Return to School

August 12, 2025
From July 29 through August 8, 2025, the Best Foot Forward (BFF) coalition partnered with law enforcement agencies across eight counties to carry out its summer Operation Best Foot Forward with a media theme of Back to School to help protect our youngest pedestrians as they are biking and walking to school at the start of the year. These efforts support FDOT’s Target Zero initiative, which aims to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries to zero.

Stay Connected

Follow Best Foot Forward for real-world examples, safety reminders, and updates focused on improving driver behavior at crosswalks.