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Police to Crack Down on Dangerous Driving
 
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By Jorge Casuso

January 28, 2025 -- Santa Monica police will hold traffic safety operations Wednesday as the City Council prepares to further crack down on "dangerous driving."

The operations will take place from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. and are "focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk," police officials said.

The violations include "speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield or provide right of way to bicyclists or pedestrians, or failing to stop for signs and signals."

The operation takes place as the Council on Tuesday night began taking steps "to prioritize the deterrence of dangerous driving within Santa Monica that poses an immediate threat to the safety of residents."

Placed on the agenda by Councilmembers Jesse Zwick and Dan Hall, the discussion item asks the Police Department to hold more "high-visibility enforcement operations against dangerous driving."

It also calls for quarterly updates to the Council and the public "detailing the monthly total number of Traffic/Vehicle Stops and enforcement actions."

The data would include "subtotals for each moving violation, as well as a comprehensive breakdown of data and trends in city traffic enforcement from 2019 through 2024 as part of the department’s annual report to City Council."

The item also asks SMPD to "develop a proposal as part of the 25/26 budget process to restore the department’s traffic enforcement capabilities and outcomes to pre-2020 levels."

The proposed actions come as fatal and severe injury crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians in Santa Monica have increased for three straight years ("Rising Number of Pedestrians, Cyclists Killed or Seriously Injured in Santa Monica," August 12, 2024).

In 2023, 39 people were severely injured or killed in local traffic accidents, the highest number since 43 were reported in 2019 and the second highest since at least 2010, the first year counts were provided, according to the City's Department of Transportation.

Police officials remind bicyclists that they must follow similar traffic laws as motorists, must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow moving vehicle.

They should also avoid riding too close to parked cars and use available bike lanes unless making a left turn, passing or approaching a place where a right turn is allowed.

Bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or within unmarked crosswalks at intersections.

All cyclists should always wear a helmet, while those under 18 years of age must wear them by law.

Police advise pedestrians to "be predictable," "use crosswalks, when available and "be extra careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night."

They should not walk or run into the path of a vehicle, since a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop when traveling at 30 mph.

Pedestrians should make it easy for drivers to see them by wearing light colors, reflective material and carrying a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk or at night.


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