Attention to pedestrian safety is on the rise in California. The Goleta Police Department is conducting a pedestrian safety enforcement operation to educate drivers and pedestrians on traffic laws and safety.
On Wednesday, May 1, officers will pay special attention to drivers and pedestrians violating traffic laws. Drivers failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, speeding, making illegal turns, not stopping for signs and failing to use signals will be stopped.
Officers will also stop pedestrians crossing the street illegally, failing to yield to vehicles with the right of way or distracted while walking.
According to a press release, 867 pedestrians were killed on California roads in 2016 — 33 percent up from 2012. In 2018, there were no fatal crashes involving pedestrians in Goleta, but 10 injury collisions involving pedestrians were investigated.
Officers say pedestrians should be alert and make eye contact with drivers when crossing the streets using crosswalks or intersections. Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop when crossing an intersection where there is foot traffic present to avoid accidents.
“Drivers and pedestrians should be looking out for one another and not down at their phones,” said John Maxwell, Sergeant of the Goleta Traffic Unit. “When it comes to roadway safety, they share equal responsibility.”
The Goleta Police Department supports the new OTS public awareness campaign, “Go Safely, California,” funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
To find out more about the campaign, visit this website.
