News Release
Nature of Incident: Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operations Planned
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA
Date & Time: January 26, 2022 8:00 am- 3:00 pm
Unit(s) Responsible: Thousand Oaks Police Department – Traffic Bureau
Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operations Planned
The Thousand Oaks Police Department will step up pedestrian safety enforcement operations on
Wednesday January 26, 2022, 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 Danger Zones
The department has mapped out locations over the past several 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 drivers speeding, driving distracted, making
illegal turns, failing to stop for signs and signals, failing to yield 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 intersections.
Pedestrian fatalities are rising in California as more people use non-motorized means of
transportation. In 2016, California witnessed 867 pedestrian deaths accounting for nearly 24
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.
The following safety tips can save lives and stop this tragedy witnessed far too often in Thousand
Oaks:
Be on The Look Out
Drivers can:
– 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 stop line to give drivers in other lanes an opportunity to see and
yield to the pedestrians too.
– Be cautious when backing up – pedestrians, especially young children, can move
across your path.
Pedestrians can:
– 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.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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