SMC To Keep Eye On Pedestrian Safety In Sept.

WOODSIDE, CA — With Pedestrian Safety Month hitting the pavement this September, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is committed to educating drivers and pedestrians about safe roadway habits.

The theme of this year’s California Office Traffic Safety public awareness campaign is "Pedestrians Don’t Have Armor."

Due to this campaign, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office will step up pedestrian safety
enforcement on Wednesday. The Sheriff’s Office will focus its education and enforcement on collision-causing factors involving both motorists and pedestrians. Routine patrol deputies will focus efforts in known trouble spots, with deputies conducting traffic enforcement along the Woodside Road corridor.

The sheriff’s office has reviewed traffic-related incidents over the past two years where pedestrian involved collisions have occurred along with the violations that led to those crashes. Deputies will be looking for traffic offenses made by drivers and pedestrians alike that can lead to life changing injuries. Special attention will be directed toward drivers speeding, making illegal turns, failing to stop for signs and signals, not yield correctly to pedestrians in cross walks or any other dangerous violation.

Additionally, enforcement will be taken for observed violations when pedestrians cross the street illegally or fail to yield to drivers who have the right of way. Pedestrians should cross the street only in marked crosswalks or at corners.

Pedestrian fatalities are rising in California as more people use non-motorized means of
transportation.

The following safety tips can save lives and stop this tragedy witnessed
far too often in San Mateo County:

Drivers will want to:

• Look out for pedestrians, especially in hard-to-see conditions such as at night or in bad weather.
• Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or entering a crosswalk where pedestrians are likely to be.
• Stop at the crosswalk line to give drivers in other lanes an opportunity to see and yield to the pedestrians too.
• Be cautious when backing up as pedestrians, especially young children, may move across your path. See www.safercar.gov/parents/backo.

Pedestrians will want to:

• Be predictable. Follow the rules of the road, cross at crosswalks or intersections, and obey signs and signals.
• Walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible, if there is no sidewalk.
• Pay attention to the traffic moving around you. This is not the time to be texting or talking on a cell phone.
• Make eye contact with drivers as they approach. Never assume a driver sees you.
• Wear bright clothing during the day and reflective materials or use a flashlight at night.
• Look left-right-left before crossing a street.