by Sergeant Bill Guimont on 2016-03-21
The Moreno Valley Traffic Team recently conducted a Pedestrian Decoy Program.
The Department has received numerous complaints regarding motorists not stopping for pedestrians in various crosswalks and intersections throughout the City. These intersections are utilized for students walking to and from local schools in the area. The California Vehicle Code requires motorists to yield to all pedestrians in a crosswalk.
The operation was conducted at Cottonwood Avenue and Jade Way as a part of the Department’s Directed Enforcement Program. This program utilized an undercover police officer walking in the crosswalk. In previous operations many of the motorists stopped for these violations said they never saw the pedestrian in the crosswalk.
In an effort to make the pedestrian more visible, he was dressed in a rabbit outfit. Many motorists who were stopped said they never saw the rabbit in the crosswalk. Our goal is to make motorists more aware of their surroundings and to be vigilant while driving, especially near schools and crosswalks.
The following safety tips can save lives and stop a tragedy from occurring:
Drivers can:
• Look out for pedestrians, especially in hard-to-see conditions such as at night or in bad weather.
• Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or entering a crosswalk where pedestrians are likely to be.
• Stop at the crosswalk stop line to give drivers in other lanes an opportunity to see and yield to the pedestrians too.
• Be cautious when backing up – pedestrians, especially young children, can move across your path.
Pedestrians can:
• Be predictable. Follow the rules of the road, cross at crosswalks or intersections, and obey signs and signals.
• Walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible if there is no sidewalk.
• Pay attention to the traffic moving around you. This is not the time to be texting or talking on a cell phone.
• Make eye contact with drivers as they approach. Never assume a driver sees you.
• Wear bright-colored clothing during the day and reflective materials (or use a flashlight) at night.
• Look left-right-left before crossing a street.
During the recent two-hour decoy program, 13 motorists received citations for “failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk” and 5 other citations were issued for traffic related offenses. This program is scheduled to run throughout the year at various locations throughout the city.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.