All users of the roads - from pedestrians to bicyclists to motorists - share rights and responsibilities to obey vehicle and traffic laws.

Cornell University Police will be emphasizing this important message as officers conduct specialized traffic enforcement focusing on roadway violations committed by pedestrians, bicyclists and skateboarders. This special enforcement will be in effect until Sept. 30.

Cornell experienced 37 personal-injury accidents over the past two years. Approximately half of these accidents involved pedestrians, bicyclists and skateboarders. To date in 2012, that ratio has increased to two-thirds of all personal-injury accidents, with some members of the Cornell community critically injured. In such accidents, the pedestrian, bicyclist or skateboarder frequently has been found to be at fault.

In the following weeks, Cornell Police officers will be standing near busy intersections answering questions, issuing warnings and handing out educational flyers to commuters who fail to follow the rules of the road. The main focus will be on pedestrians who cross the street improperly, step out in front of vehicles unsafely and fail to obey the crossing signals. Bicyclists and skateboarders will be educated as well.

Following this educational warning period, the Cornell Police will conduct a two-day enforcement campaign to ticket those who choose to disobey the rules of the road. This campaign will be held Wed., Sept. 26, and Thursday, Sept. 27.

This entire enforcement campaign will be funded with a $2,170 Highway Safety Grant that was awarded by the New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee for the 2012 fiscal year.