PASADENA, Calif.—On Friday, Sept. 27, Pasadena Police Department will conduct a dual bicycle and pedestrian safety program. There will be additional officers on patrol focused on drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians who violate traffic laws that increase the risk of crashes. These violations include speeding, driving or walking distracted and/or impaired, failing to stop for signs and signals, and not yielding to drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians who have the right of way. In addition to the bicycle and pedestrian safety program, DUI saturation patrols will take place in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions and/or arrests.
September is Pedestrian Safety Month, and California continues to see more and more pedestrians getting injured or killed on roads. In 2016, 867 pedestrians were killed and more than 14,000 were injured in California alone. A report released earlier this year by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) projected that more than 6,200 pedestrians were killed in the United States last year, the highest number since 1990.
“Sooner or later, a driver has to get out of their car and walk, so we are all pedestrians at some point,” said Traffic Section Lieutenant Mark Goodman. "Think about how you would want a driver to act when you're walking, and vice versa. Keep that in mind and follow the rules of the road so we can all arrive at our destination safely."
For the DUI saturation patrol, Pasadena Police Department reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.
The average cost of a DUI arrest is approximately $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses, not to mention possible jail time.
Pasadena Police Department encourages drivers to follow these tips to avoid a DUI:
- Always use a designated sober driver (a friend who is not drinking, ride-share service, taxi or public transportation) to get home.
- If you see someone who is clearly impaired try and drive, take their keys and help them make arrangements to find a sober way home.
- Call 9-1-1 to report drunk drivers.
- Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who's drinking and how they are getting home.
Funding for pedestrian and bicycle safety enforcement and DUI patrol operations is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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