September is California Pedestrian Safety Month

LASD:

The California Office of Traffic Safety is again announcing that September is “California Pedestrian Safety Month” which began last year in response to the rising number of pedestrians being killed and injured on California roadways.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will be joining with other law enforcement agencies, city and state transportation agencies, pedestrian advocates and walking clubs to promote public awareness aimed at both drivers and pedestrians alike to always be aware of each other and share the road responsibly.

This month draws attention to the 892 pedestrians who were killed on California roadways in 2016 alone, accounting for over 24 percent of all roadway deaths in the state, up from 17 percent just a decade ago. In 2016, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies investigated 35 pedestrian fatal collisions and another 69 major injury collisions. Most injuries are life changing and permanent. Deputies will join the effort by conducting pedestrian safety enforcement operations throughout the month.

The department has mapped out locations over the past several years where pedestrian collisions have occurred along with the violations that led to those collisions. Traffic Officers working overtime and others on routine patrol will be focusing enforcement both on drivers as well as pedestrian who violate traffic laws.

Both drivers and walkers are cautioned to put down the cell phones, since electronic distractions are seen in increasing numbers of pedestrian crashes. Other factors for drivers include unsafe speed and failure to see and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and intersections. For pedestrians, the major dangers are jaywalking and thinking that they can be seen at night, especially while wearing dark clothing. To learn about the dangers of being a pedestrian, who is at risk and safety tips visit Pedestrian Safety.

The California Office of Traffic Safety continues to remind motorist that “Pedestrians Don’t Have Armor.” This public service announcement highlights the importance of pedestrian safety awareness, regardless of whether one is on foot or behind the wheel.

Funding for this enforcement campaign is provided to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Remember, in any community, the citizens are the first set of eyes and ears for 1st responders. It is the community who knows what “does” and “doesn’t” look right. It is you, the local citizens, who can tell who “does” and “doesn’t” belong in the area. If you see any suspicious activity, something that doesn’t look “right”, please call the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at (661) 255-1121 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station polices the City of Santa Clarita and the unincorporated communities and a portion of the Angeles National Forest, as well as Bouquet Canyon, Canyon Country, Castaic, Gorman, Hasley Canyon, Newhall, Neenach, Sand Canyon, Santa Clarita, Saugus, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Sleepy Valley, Southern Oaks, Stevenson Ranch, Sunset Point, Tesoro del Valle, Valencia, Val Verde, West Hills and West Ranch.

The KHTS Santa Clarita Neighborhood Watch is a service provided by KHTS Radio to help inform Santa Clarita Communities including Valencia, Saugus, Newhall, Canyon Country, Stevenson Ranch, and Castaic of any crime reports in their area. All crime reports are provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office and are meant to inform our community of any crime incidents and other emergency information. Please visit the Santa Clarita Neighborhoods section of our website for other information in your community. You can submit a listing for your neighborhood here.