Full Notification

August is Pedestrian Safety Month and with school back in session, the Corona Police Department would like to remind drivers and pedestrians to be safe. On August 11, the Corona Police Department will be conducting a pedestrian safety enforcement operation with focused enforcement on collision causing factors involving motorists and pedestrians. Routine traffic patrols will focus efforts in trouble spots while special targeted patrols will also be deployed to crackdown on drivers and pedestrians who violate traffic laws meant to protect all roadway users.

The department has mapped out locations over the past 5 years where pedestrian involved collisions have occurred along with the violations that led to those crashes. Officers 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 failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. Additionally, enforcement will be taken for observed violations of pedestrians failing to yield to drivers who have the right-of- way. Pedestrians should cross the street only in marked crosswalks or intersections.

Pedestrian fatalities are rising in California as more people use non-motorized means of transportation. The Corona Police Department has investigated 4 fatal and 137 injury collisions involving pedestrians during the past 5 years. In 2013, California witnessed 701 pedestrian deaths accounting for over 23 percent of all roadway fatalities, much higher than the national average of 15 percent.

A national study reveals that pedestrians and drivers do not obey laws and signals consistently and many often use cell phones, text and listen to music while walking or driving. Only 60 percent of pedestrians said they expected drivers to stop when they were in crosswalks, even though they have the right-of-way.

If you have any information about this operation please contact Sergeant Michael Nielsen at 951-739-4885 or email [email protected].