For Immediate Release

September 11, 2023

Emily Graves, Communications Specialist

[email protected]

Safety is sharing, safety is caring: September is Pedestrian Safety Month

Ventura, Calif. — September is Pedestrian Safety Month in California and the Ventura Police Department encourages drivers to care for one another and keep pedestrians safe from life-threatening injury.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 7,508 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the U.S. in 2022, the highest number since 1981. In California, pedestrian deaths account for more than 25% of all traffic deaths.

“Our roadways are extremely busy and everyone deserves to get to their destination safely,” said Corporal David Curtis. “Drivers need to be aware of people who are walking. Please slow down and never drive impaired. We all have places to go, so let’s remember that safety is a shared responsibility.”

The Ventura Police Department offers safe driving and walking tips, including staying off the phone when behind the wheel or walking.

Drivers

• Do not speed, 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.

Pedestrians

• Be predictable. Use signalized crosswalks where drivers may anticipate foot traffic. 
• Watch for approaching vehicles and practice due care crossing the street. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.
• Make it easier for drivers to see you at night – wear light colors, reflective material and use a flashlight.
• Be careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night or on busier streets with higher speed limits. 

Share your thoughts about pedestrian safety by participating in the Go Safely Movement, a call-to-action traffic safety survey from the California Office of Traffic Safety. Take the survey at GoSafelyCA.org.

###