SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) will be increasing city patrol as an effort to decrease bike and pedestrian related injuries and/or deaths. On Friday, February 24 and Monday, February 27 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. the SMPD will be working to increase enforcement of bike and pedestrian related safety measures.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), pedestrians were one of the few groups of road users to experience an increase in fatalities in the United States in 2015, totaling 5,376 deaths.
The upcoming bike-pedestrian enforcement is the second for the year 2017. Officers conducted an enforcement operation on January 13.
According to a press release from the SMPD, officers will be aiming enforcement efforts towards drivers and/or bicyclist are in violation of speeding, illegal turning, and failing to follow traffic signs. Pedestrians not following cross walk signs will also be cited.
The upcoming Bike and Pedestrian Enforcement Operation has received program funding through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
