September is Pedestrian Safety Month

By SDCN Editor

Escondido, CA–In celebration of Pedestrian Safety Month in California, the Escondido Police Department is urging drivers to keep pedestrians safe from crashes and injuries.

Based on data projections from Governor Gavin Newsom’s Highway Safety Association, 7,508 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the U.S. in 2022, the highest number since 1981. In California, pedestrian deaths account for more than 25% of all traffic deaths.

“There’s a lot happening on our roads, and everyone deserves to get to their destination safely,” Escondido Chief of Police Ed Varso said. “Drivers need to be aware of people who are walking. Please slow down and never drive impaired. We all have places to go, so let’s remember that safety is a shared responsibility.”

To promote the safety of pedestrians, the Escondido Police Department conducts traffic safety operations throughout the year that focus on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of pedestrians at risk. These violations include speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield, and running stop signs or signals.

The Escondido Police Department offers safe driving and walking tips, including staying off the phone when behind the wheel or walking. 

Drivers 

• Do not speed, 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.

Pedestrians 

• Be predictable. Use signalized crosswalks where drivers may anticipate foot traffic.

• Watch for approaching vehicles and practice due care crossing the street. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.

• Make it easier for drivers to see you at night – wear light colors, and reflective material and use a flashlight.

• Be careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night or on busier streets with higher speed limits.

The public can share their thoughts about pedestrian safety by participating in the Go Safely Movement, a call-to-action traffic safety survey from the California Office of Traffic Safety. Take the survey at gosafelyca.org.

Funding for the safety program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.