SANTA MONICA—According to a press release, the Santa Monica Police Department will be holding a Bike-Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operation on Friday, August 26 from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Monday, August 29 from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. The main focus of these operations is on primary collision factors that involve motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.
During these enforcement operations, officers will be on patrol in areas the SMPD have identified as prevalent in bicycle and pedestrian collisions, and in violations that lead to these collisions. Officers will be looking for violations made by motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians that could lead to life-altering injuries.
The special enforcement efforts that will be aimed at motorists are for drivers who are speeding, making illegal turns, failing to stop for signs and signals, failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and other similar violations. Efforts will be aimed at pedestrians who are illegally crossing the street and failing to yield to motorists with the right of way. The SMPD reminds pedestrians to cross the street at marked crosswalks and at street corners.
The patrolling officers will be on the lookout for bicyclists who are making violations that are similar to the traffic laws that are applied to motorists. The SMPD also encourages bicyclists to wear a helmet and wants to remind bicyclists that if they are under 18 they are required by law to wear a helmet.
The Bike-Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operation is conducted in an effort to lower deaths and injuries due to bicycle and pedestrian collisions. Funding is provided from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Canyon News reached out to the SMPD for more information and is waiting for a reply.
