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Slow down for pedestrians, Goleta PD says

September is Pedestrian Safety Month
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Posted at 3:09 PM, Sep 01, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-01 18:09:05-04

September is Pedestrian Safety Month, the Goleta Police Department says.

Throughout the month, the police department is working to increase pedestrian and driver awareness to limit risks on the road.

In 2019, pedestrian deaths in California made up 27 percent of all traffic-related deaths. 2020 saw a 21-percent rise, the largest increase on record, in the rate that drivers struck and killed pedestrians, the department says.

The police department shared the following safety tips for pedestrians and drivers.

Pedestrians:

  • Be predictable. Use crosswalks.
  • Take notice of approaching vehicles and practice due care.
  • Do not walk or run into the path of a vehicle. No vehicle can stop instantly. At 30 m.p.h., a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.
  • Be visible. Make it easy for drivers to see you – wear light colors, reflective material and carry a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk or at night.
  • Be extra careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night when it is harder to see, or when crossing busier streets with more lanes and higher speed limits.

Drivers:

  • Follow the speed limit 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.

One tip the department shared with drivers and pedestrians: stay off the phone while on the move.

The Goleta Police Department and the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department say they will have additional deputies on patrol throughout the month looking for violations related to drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Areas they will be looking out for include right-of-way at crosswalks, illegal turns and not stopping for street signs or signals. Deputies will also keep an eye out for speed violations.