SACRAMENTO,
Calif. – The California Highway Patrol (CHP) was awarded a federal grant to
support its yearlong education and enforcement efforts to help improve
pedestrian and bicyclist safety throughout the state. The Bicycle and
Pedestrian Safety, Education, Enforcement, and Awareness Program II, which
continues through Sept. 30, 2024, is designed to help educate and enforce
traffic safety laws for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
“Safe
streets are built on shared responsibility, where motorists, bicyclists, and
pedestrians all play a key role in ensuring each trip ends with a safe arrival,”
said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “This
grant is an investment in helping improve the safety of California’s most
vulnerable roadway users.”
In
California, pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities account for 20 percent of all
traffic-related deaths in CHP jurisdiction.
Pedestrians and bicyclists make up 1,519 of the 7,559 people killed in
crashes between 2020 and 2022 throughout CHP jurisdiction.
In
the spirit of sharing the road, the CHP offers the following suggestions:
Drivers
- Adhere
to the posted speed limit and exercise caution on busy streets with more
bicyclists and pedestrians.
- Stay
focused on driving and eliminate distraction behind the wheel.
- Yield
to pedestrians and stop for people walking at marked and unmarked crosswalks.
- Show
consideration for cyclists by maintaining 3 feet of distance when safely
passing them. Change lanes when
possible.
Pedestrians
- Stay
alert to oncoming vehicles.
- Use
crosswalks when available, especially at stop signs or signals. Exercise caution when crossing at night or
when navigating busier streets with multiple lanes and higher speed limits as
visibility may be reduced.
- Increase
your visibility by wearing light-colored clothing, reflective material, and
carrying a flashlight during nighttime or dawn/dusk hours.
Bicyclists
- Ride
in the same direction of traffic. Bicyclists
must adhere to the same rules and regulations as any slow-moving vehicle.
- Employ
hand signals and use bike lanes, when accessible
- Wear
a helmet and ensure your bike is equipped with lights when riding at night.
Receipt
of the grant funding is timely, as October is National Pedestrian Safety
Month. On October 4, the CHP joined
schools throughout the state to celebrate National Walk to School Day. CHP officers in plainclothes worked with
uniformed officers to monitor crosswalks and areas surrounding schools.
Additional
specialized enforcement operations will be conducted during the year focusing
on areas with higher bicyclist and pedestrian traffic and crashes, and officers
will also conduct public awareness campaigns in communities throughout the
state. This grant also funds bicycle
safety training and educational presentations to promote safe and courteous
traffic safety behaviors by drivers and bicyclists, as well as safety
publications, bicycle helmets, reflective gear, and other vital safety
equipment.
Funding
for this program was provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety
through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The
mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and
Security.
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