Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Joey Sinz
File # N/A
Details:
Temecula, California. – September is Pedestrian Safety Month, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department – Southwest Station will participate in activities throughout the month encouraging the safety of pedestrians. Based on data projections from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 7,485 people, or an average of 20 people every day, died after being struck by a vehicle last year – an 11.5% increase from 2020 and a 40-year high.
“The public should not feel they are in danger when walking,” Riverside County Sheriff’s Department – Southwest Station Traffic Team, Deputy Opice said. “Drivers, please slow down and be aware of people who are walking. Let’s all get to where we need to go safely.”
To promote the safety of people walking, the Southwest Station Traffic Team will conduct a traffic safety operation during the month of September, focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of pedestrians at risk. These violations include speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield, and running stop signs or signals.
The Southwest Station Traffic Team offers safe driving and walking tips, including staying off the phone when behind the wheel or walking:
Drivers
- Do not speed, and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.
- Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn.
- Never drive impaired.
Pedestrians
- Be predictable. Use signalized crosswalks where drivers may anticipate foot traffic.
- Watch for approaching vehicles and practice due care crossing the street. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.
- Make it easier for drivers to see you at night – wear light colors, reflective material and use a flashlight.
- Be careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night or on busier streets with higher speed limits.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
For media inquiries regarding this incident please contact the Media Information Bureau.
If you are interested in a career with us, please apply at joinrsd.org or call 1-888-Join-RSD