SANTA BARBARA Last year, the Santa Barbara Police Department investigated more than 150 collisions between bicyclists and pedestrians. The SBPD hopes to lower the figure, and on Monday, officers will be looking for violations by all road users including drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.
“Whether you are on foot, behind the wheel or on a bike, you play a part in roadway safety,” Sergeant Mike Brown said in an announcement. “Understanding the rules of the road using all modes of transportation helps ensure we all get to our destination safely.”
Some example violations officers will be on the lookout for are drivers speeding, making illegal turns, bikers riding on the wrong side of the road, not complying with stop signs, and pedestrians jaywalking.
This enforcement operation is a reminder for pedestrians to only cross the street using crosswalks or intersections, while looking for cars backing up and avoiding darting between parked cars; drivers to wait for crossing pedestrians and to avoid using a cell phone while behind the wheel; and bikers to always go with the flow of traffic, allowing faster traffic to pass and using hand signals when turning or stopping.
