Golden State Today

The Goleta Police Department will conduct a traffic safety operation on Tuesday, July 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., focusing on the most dangerous driver behaviors that jeopardize the safety of cyclists and pedestrians. These violations include speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield or provide right of way to bicyclists or pedestrians, and failing to stop for signs and signals.

“According to the Vehicle Code, all bicycles must follow the same rules as vehicles,” Traffic Supervisor Sergeant Noel Rivas said. “Fines for bicycle violations can be the same as in a vehicle.”

The Goleta Police Department offers steps drivers and pedestrians can take to reduce the risk of injury or crashes:

Pedestrians:

- Be predictable. Use crosswalks when available.

- Take notice of approaching vehicles and practice due care.

- Do not walk or run into the path of a vehicle. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.

- Be visible. Make it easy for drivers to see you by wearing light colors, reflective material, and carrying a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk, or night.

- Be extra careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night when it is harder to see or when crossing busier streets with more lanes and higher speed limits.

Drivers:

- Follow the speed limit and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.

- Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn.

- Never drive impaired.

- Don’t use or text on your cell phone while driving.

Bicyclists:

- Obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector), and wear a helmet.

- Bicyclists must travel in the same direction as traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle. Stay off sidewalks.

- Avoid the door zone: do not ride too closely to parked cars.

- If there’s a bike lane, use it unless making a left turn, passing, or approaching a place where a right turn is allowed.

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

- Just because there are no cars doesn’t mean you can go through a red light. Use the pedestrian button if necessary.

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