SACRAMENTO,
Calif. – To help fund the California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) yearlong effort to promote
safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, the Department has been awarded the California
Pedestrian and Bicyclist Enforcement and Education Project IX grant. Beginning October 1, 2021, this grant enables
officers to conduct enhanced enforcement patrols and public awareness campaigns
throughout the state.
“It is important for motorists to scan each
intersection for foot and bicycle traffic before entering, and it is especially
important during hours of darkness,” CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said. “Pedestrian
and bicycle fatalities account for nearly one-third of all traffic-related
deaths annually in California with the vast majority occurring at night.”
In 2019 and 2020 combined, 7,594 people were killed in crashes throughout California,
with pedestrians and bicyclists accounting for 2,354 of those deaths.
October is National Pedestrian Safety Month, and
on National Walk to School Day, October
6, 2021, the CHP will focus its education and enforcement efforts in locations
with high numbers of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes. Officers in plain clothes will work with
uniformed officers to monitor crosswalks and areas surrounding schools for
motorists who fail to yield the right-of-way or who drive unsafe and illegally.
The educational component of the grant funds traffic safety skills and training
courses and informative presentations related to safe traffic behavior for high-risk
populations, including older community members and youth. The grant also supports the distribution of
safety equipment such as bicycle helmets and reflective gear.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of
Traffic Safety, through 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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