CHP: Grant Will Improve Cyclist, Pedestrian Safety

A recent grant awarded to the California Highway Patrol will improve cyclist and pedestrian safety in the coming year, according to the law enforcement agency.

The California Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Enforcement and Education Project grant will help the CHP conduct enhanced enforcement activities and public education campaigns. Grant activities focus on factors associated with the highest number of fatalities and injuries, and the enforcement component applies to laws concerning the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. Such activities include motorists who fail to yield for pedestrians, drivers who illegally pass school buses, and bicyclists who do not stop at stop signs or lights. 

“Far too many Californians are being killed or injured while walking or bicycling on our roadways,” said CHP Acting Commissioner Warren Stanley.  “The grant will promote awareness and respect between all road users; specifically, to impart the importance of safely interacting with each other while sharing the road.” 

Pedestrian and cyclist fatalities account for almost a third of all roadway fatalities in California. The most recent CHP data from 2015 shows 310 bicyclists and pedestrians were killed and more than 3,100 were injured on California roadways. 

The grant earmarks funds for traffic safety rodeos and educational presentations for children and the elderly. These outreach programs help the CHP promote safe pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorist behavior to protect those who choose to walk or bike, the agency said.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.