Watsonville PD Receives $112K To Make Streets Safer For All

WATSONVILLE, CA — The Watsonville Police Department recently announced it has received two grants — totaling $112,000 — to help increase road, bicycle and pedestrian safety. Both grants came from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

According to the WPD, the first, a $70,000 grant, will be used for numerous programs, including:

• DUI/driver’s license checkpoints.

• Patrols specifically looking for suspected alcohol- and/or drug-impaired drivers.

• Patrols targeting violations of California’s hands-free cell phone law and vehicle code violations by drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians that put other roadway users at risk.

• Patrols targeting the primary causes of crashes: Speeding, improper turns, running stop signs or signals, right-of-way violations and driving on the wrong side of the road.

• Patrols specifically looking for seat belt and child safety seat violations.

• Traffic safety education presentations for youth and community members on distracted and impaired driving, bicycle and pedestrian safety.

• Creating “Hot Sheets” identifying repeat DUI offenders.

• Officer training to identify suspected impaired drivers and conduct sobriety tests.

A second grant totaling $42,000 will fund a year-long program aimed at improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, according to the WPD. The money will be used to conduct bicycle training classes and educational workshops for youth and older adults on bicycle and pedestrian safety, as well as educating the public on the importance of safety equipment like reflective armbands, leg bands, headlights, taillights, reflectors and helmets, according to the department.

The funding will also be used to participate in national education campaign events and programs such as National Walk to School Day, Bicycle Safety Month, Pedestrian Safety Month, Safe Routes to Schools and Vision Zero.

So far this year, one pedestrian has been killed and 20 pedestrians have been injured in the city of Watsonville; seven bicyclists have been injured in vehicle collisions, according to the WPD.