San Diego County Receives Grants For Traffic Safety Education

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA – The California Office of Traffic Safety awarded a $75,000 grant to San Diego County Tuesday to fund a year-long program educating residents on bicycle and pedestrian traffic safety.

The program, administered by the county's Health and Human Services Agency, will include educational events, classroom presentations and community events designed to teach county residents about traffic rules and the rights and responsibilities of being a pedestrian or a cyclist.

Grant-funded educational efforts will focus on avoiding distractions, looking for possible hazards like parked cars pulling out and staying visible by wearing reflectors and bright clothing. According to the county, the program's educational efforts will focus mostly on children and seniors.

"Bicycle and pedestrian safety responsibilities go both ways," OTS Director Rhonda Craft said. "Understanding the rules of the road behind the wheel, on foot or on two wheels helps all roadway users get where they need to go safely."

According to state data, bicycle and pedestrian deaths account for 29 percent of roadway deaths in California. In addition, 1,014 cyclists and pedestrians were killed in California in 2016, a 30 percent increase over 2012 data, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock