Santa Monica Police Plan Traffic-Violation Crackdown

SANTA MONICA, CA — The Santa Monica Police Department this week plans to crack down on violations committed by drivers, bike riders and pedestrians as part of a special enforcement operation, according to the department.

On Thursday and Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., officers will be conducting extra enforcement of rules pertaining to speeding, illegal turns, failure to yield or provide right of way to bicyclists and pedestrians, failure to stop for signs and signal, and other laws, police said.

Officers will be on duty patrolling areas where bike and pedestrian collisions occur as apr too an effort to lower deaths and injuries, police said.

“We all have places to be and not everyone gets there by car. Bicyclists and pedestrians have the same rights to the road but face even more risk without the protections vehicles have. We should all be looking out for one another," police said in a release.

Police officered the following tips to various road users:

Pedestrians

• Be predictable. Use crosswalks, when available.
• Take notice of approaching vehicles and practice due care.
• Do not walk or run into the path of a vehicle. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.
• Be visible. Make it easy for drivers to see you— wear light colors, reflective material and carry a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk or at night.
• Be extra careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night when it is harder to see, or when crossing busier streets with more lanes and higher speed limits.

Drivers

• Follow the speed limit and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.
• Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn.
• Never drive impaired.

Bicyclists

• Obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector), and wear a helmet.
• Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.
• Avoid the door zone: do not ride too closely to parked cars.
• If there’s a bike lane, use it, unless making a left turn, passing, or approaching a place where a right turn is allowed.
• Yield to pedestrians. Bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or within unmarked crosswalks at intersections.