Austin police are cracking down on jaywalkers. They're writing tickets by the dozens to pedestrians all over town.

Wednesday, KVUE News rode along with officers who work in the downtown division.

Among the many tickets Corporal Michael Pollard wrote -- Paula Hayes, who risked her life by jaywalking.

"It's such a beautiful day. The sun was in my eyes and I thought I'd take a short cut. As you can see it's not always a good idea to take a short cut," Hayes said.

At least Hayes knew what she was doing. Pollard says half the time people don't even look before they cross the street.

"Every day, I see near misses every day," Pollard said.

Pollard also said he sees those who don't make it. The number of pedestrians struck and killed by motorists, six so far this year, prompted the city to form a pedestrian enforcement strike team.

Officers are writing tickets to everyone they see who doesn't use a crosswalk or follow the pedestrian control devices. This crackdown is happening all over Austin -- not just downtown.

"We're hoping this gets out and makes more people aware," Pollard said of the program.

Its a costly lesson, but Hayes says she is thankful for it.

"I could have been hit. I could have been run over," she said.

The price of the ticket is determined by the community court. It could be several hundred dollars or paid out by community service.