Thursday, March 3, 2016

An Overview of Challenges and Possible Improvements to Pedestrian Safety in California




In California we’re seeing a lot of rapid changes in transportation. We’re a state that’s been shaped by personal vehicles, and automobiles still play a large role on our roads, but we’re seeing a transformation in terms of public transportation, ride share and even driverless technology. All of this creates new challenges for California citizens and authorities, not the least of which is regarding safety.  As the transportation landscape changes and more Californians are exploring alternatives to their personal vehicles, it’s important to take a look at pedestrian safety – what we’re seeing from law enforcement and transportation authorities and what rights and responsibilities pedestrians should be aware of.

It’s important to note that California has the highest rate of pedestrian deaths, a number that went up from 2013 to 2014. Although it’s not easy to specify one or two reasons that explain the rising number of pedestrian fatalities, we do know that following the rules of the road is an extremely important factor when it comes to reducing death and injury. This is evidenced by the fact that, according to the above-linked article, speed was a determining factor in whether a pedestrian would be fatally wounded in the collison.

Some communities are taking steps to address the high numbers of accidents and deaths involving pedestrians in California. This Friday in Thousand Oaks, expect the Ventura County Sheriff’s department to increase enforcement of road and moving violations in an effort to curtail pedestrian injuries. Highlighting the importance of safe and legal driving, as well as walking or bike-riding, law enforcement in this area will be closely monitoring drivers who disobey traffic laws by speeding, failing to stop and turn where required as well as pedestrians whose actions are dangerous and possibily illegal. Similar efforts are taking place in Santa Barbara, where more officers are patrolling in high-risk areas and taking increased measures to crack down on all traffic violations.

What responsibilities fall on the pedestrian? The California Vehicle Code (“CVC”) puts the onus on the driver to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of pedestrians, but CVC Section 21950 (b) also states:

“This section does not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of using due care for his or her safety. No pedestrian may suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk.”

Therefore, pedestrian behavior relative to areas where vehicles are tavelling can also be unlawful.

As noted above, while we know that traffic offenses could contribute to pedestrian injuries and fatalities, we don’t always know what more can be done to tak effective safety measures. Authorities are taking steps to address the underlying issues, particularly where there is a markedly high number of fatalities. Law enforcement agenices in San Diego were recently the recipients of a large grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.  According to a statement made by a law enforcement officer in this San Diego Union-Tribune article, some of the grant funds could go towards a program that will help pinpoint the geographic areas where a majority of accidents take place, and then discover what makes these spots so dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists.


In addition to law enforcement agencies, pedestrian safety and accident reduction can naturally also be address with engineering projects. In Los Angeles areas with a high amount of pedestrian traffic we may find what are known as scramble crossings, such as the nearly dozen new ones expected to appear in Santa Monica this spring. Scramble crosswalks, also known as pedestrian scrambles, facilitate pedestrians to cross intersections diagonolly in addition to the standard crosswalks which form right angles. Urban planners and engineers could pivot more towards pedestrian-friendly projects such as these to accommodate rising modes of alternative transporation.

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