Pedestrian and bicyclist safety, a priority for the California Highway Patrol, will be enhanced by a federal grant in the coming year.
“Far too many Californians are being killed or injured while walking or bicycling on our roadways,” said CHP Acting Commissioner Warren Stanley. “The grant will promote awareness and respect between all road users; specifically, to impart the importance of safely interacting with each other while sharing the road.”
Bicycle and pedestrian fatalities account for 29 percent of roadway fatalities in California. Data from the CHP Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System in 2015 showed there were at least 310 bicyclists and pedestrians killed and more than 3,100 injured on California roadways.
The California Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Enforcement and Education Project grant will help CHP officers use pedestrian and bicyclist collision information to conduct enhanced enforcement activities and public education campaigns.
Although grant activities will focus on collision factors associated with the highest number of fatalities and injuries, the enforcement component will include all laws that affect the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. This includes motorists who fail to yield for pedestrians, motorists who illegally pass school buses, and bicyclists who do not stop at stop signs or lights.
Traffic safety rodeos and educational presentations emphasizing children and the elderly will help the CHP promote safe pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorist behavior to protect those who choose to walk or bike. The grant helps the CHP apply additional resources to bicycle and pedestrian safety and accomplish its mission of saving lives.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
