Bike-Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Coming Up In Santa Monica

SANTA MONICA, CA — The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) will be conducting Bike and Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operations throughout March, SMPD announced Wednesday.

Santa Monica police will be focusing their enforcement efforts on primary collision factors involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. The Police Department periodically identifies locations where bike and pedestrian collisions frequently occur, along with the violations that led to those collisions, the news release said.

Officers will be on duty patrolling areas where bike and pedestrian traffic collisions occur.

Field enforcement operations are scheduled for 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the following days: Friday, March 13; Monday March 16; Friday, March 20; Monday, March 23; Friday, March 27; and Monday, March 30.

"Officers will be on the lookout for violations by drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians that can
potentially lead to life altering injuries," SMPD said. "Special enforcement efforts will be directed towards drivers speeding, making illegal turns, failing to stop for signs and signals, failing to yield to pedestrians in cross walks and similar dangerous violations.

Officers will enforce pedestrian violations they observe, such as pedestrians crossing the street illegally or failing to yield to drivers who have the right of way. Bicyclists will be issued citations when they fail to follow similar traffic laws that also apply to motorists.

Bicyclists are encouraged to always wear a helmet, and those under 18 years old must wear
helmets by law. Pedestrians should cross the street only in marked crosswalks or at corners, the news release said.

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