Jaywalkers beware. Pennsylvania law enforcement officials said they are serious about pedestrian safety this year.

Patton Township Police Department's two-week long campaign, "Drive Smart. Buckle Up 2002," started Sunday.

"The federal government was able to give Pennsylvania grant money under the auspices of 'Buckle up,' " said Patton Township Police Chief John Petrick.

The campaign will focus on the school bus stopping law and seatbelt laws, he added.

Petrick said police officers also will be looking for other violations.

To make sure citizens are aware of traffic laws, officers will be interviewed on the radio. Pennsylvania's school bus stopping law is being emphasized. The law requires motorists to stop for school buses with red signals flashing and a "Stop" sign extended.

Drivers who do not abide by this law receive a 60-day driver's license suspension, five points on their driving records and $100 fine, according to a police department press release. Petrick said there is concern about a child being hit by a vehicle after exiting a school bus.

The campaign also is focusing on seatbelt laws. Police are stressing the importance of wearing seatbelts, even though the Pennsylvania legislature determined that failure to wear a seatbelt is not a primary offense. Offenders can be cited for not wearing a seatbelt only when receiving another citation.

The State College Borough Council approved installation of pedestrian nodes on some sidewalks during the past year. The attempt to add a three-second delay on some traffic signals in downtown State College was not approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

"Anything you want to do on Beaver Avenue and Allen Street must be approved by PennDOT, so that's on the back burner," Borough Council President Richard McCarl said.

The Borough Council also is discussing a campaign, "Keep Kids Alive, Drive 25," which would involve posters and bumper stickers in the area with the slogan, McCarl said.

He said Borough Council is looking into a way to designate streets that need traffic regulation based on the number of cars that travel on them.

The increased concern for pedestrian safety in the past year has been partially due to the pedestrian/school bus accident last December that killed Penn State student Shellie Smarowsky.

The Advisory Task Force for Pedestrian Safety Education wants to stress the importance of vehicle and pedestrian laws early in the semester so that pedestrians and drivers will be aware of potential hazards.

"Drive Smart. Buckle Up 2002" will end Sept. 7.

There will be more safety campaigns if they receive federal funding, Petrick said.

"We're able to increase the amount of patrol time with funding," he said.