'Look Out For Pedestrians': Petaluma Police

PETALUMA, CA — As school season approaches, the Petaluma Police Department wants to remind drivers to pay close attention to pedestrians attempting to cross the roadways.

Unfortunately, pedestrian fatalities remain high, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2019, 6,205 pedestrians died. Perhaps even more alarming is that a pedestrian dies every 88 minutes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

California law requires drivers to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

In addition, state law also requires that other vehicles do not pass other drivers from the rear who are are stopped to let a pedestrian cross.

Violating those laws are extremely dangerous, and carry fines of $238 and $490 fine respectively, police warn.

"We care about our community members and want our streets to be the safest they can be for everyone traveling on them," police said in a Facebook post. "Thank you for slowing down near crosswalks and looking out for pedestrians."

The NHTSA offers these pedestrian safety tips for drivers:

1. Look out for pedestrians everywhere, at all times. Safety is a shared responsibility.
2. Use extra caution when driving in hard-to-see conditions, such as nighttime or bad weather.
3. Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or otherwise entering a crosswalk.
4. Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and stop well back from the cross-walk to give other vehicles an opportunity to see the crossing pedestrians so they can stop too.
5. Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. There may be people crossing that you can’t see.
6. Never drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
7. Follow the speed limit, especially around people on the street.
8. Follow slower speed limits in school zones and in neighborhoods where children are present.
9. Be extra cautious when backing up—pedestrians can move into your path.