The safety of pedestrians and bike riders is a top priority for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, according to officials.

Sheriff’s officials set up a bike and pedestrian safety enforcement operation Wednesday, with focused enforcement on collision causing factors involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists, a news release said.

Bicycle and pedestrian fatalities are rising in California as more people use these non-motorized means of transportation, officials said. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has investigated 4,909 fatal and injury collisions involving pedestrians and bicyclists during the past three years.

In 2016, California witnessed 867 pedestrians and 147 bicyclists killed, accounting for more than 28 percent of all traffic fatalities the news release said.

Related: Advisory Bike And Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operation Santa Clarita August 30 2017

“The department has mapped out locations over the past three years where pedestrian and bike collisions have occurred along with the violations that led to those crashes,” said the news release.

Extra deputies are expected to be on duty patrolling areas where bike and pedestrian traffic and collisions occur in an effort to lower deaths and injuries, according to officials.

“Deputies will be looking for violations made by drivers, bike riders and pedestrians alike that can lead to life changing injuries,” the news release said. “Special attention will be directed toward drivers speeding, making illegal turns, failing to stop for signs and signals, failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks or any other dangerous violation.”

Related: Santa Clarita Bike Pedestrian Safety Operation Nets 45 Citations So Far

“Bike riders will be stopped and citations will be issued when they fail to follow the same traffic laws that apply to motorists,” the news release said. “All riders are reminded to always wear a helmet – those under 18 years of age must wear helmets by law.”

Pedestrians should cross the street only in marked crosswalks or at corners.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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