Do one-week law crackdowns work?

Increased enforcement of the Ted Foss Move Over law on Mon, 15-year anniversary of Trooper Ted Foss' death. pic.twitter.com/01xv1sLS2L

— MN State Patrol (@MnDPS_MSP) August 27, 2015

Every few weeks, we in the news business tell you about a crackdown by the police. A few weeks ago there was a crackdown on speeding, so some people slowed down. For a week.

Then there was a crackdown on distracted driving. So some people stopped tweeting while driving. For a week.

Question: Why isn’t there always a crackdown on things that are against the law?

The latest example comes from the Pioneer Press’ Katie Kather, who reports today on the “annual” one-week crackdown on drivers who plow through downtown St. Paul crosswalks when people are in them.

One week?

One-hundred-fifty drivers were ticketed during the one-week crackdown earlier this month, she reports.

In Minnesota last year, 17 people died in pedestrian-vehicle crashes. And 52 weeks a year in St. Paul, you’re taking your life in your hands when you try to cross the street.