Tag Archives: Traffic Safety

Stay Sober or Get Pulled Over

Staff Reports

Chino- On August 26 a DUI/Driver’s License checkpoint was conducted on Central Avenue between the hours of 8:00p.m. and 3:00 a.m. The checkpoint resulted in the following: 1080 vehicles screened, 3 DUI suspects arrested, 1 arrested for an active warrant, 21 drivers were cited/arrested for operating a vehicle unlicensed or while suspended/revoked, and 5 other citations were issued.

The Chino Police Department is showing their zero tolerance in driving under the influence with the goal to end drunk driving, and have also released the following information with the Labor Day Weekend here:

Sadly, this festive time has also become a dangerous time for America’s roads, as many drunk drivers get behind the wheel after celebrating. For this reason, the Chino Police Department is partnering with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to stop drunk drivers and help save lives. The high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs August 19 – September 5, 2016. During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for drunk driving. Increased national messaging about the dangers of driving drunk, coupled with sobriety checkpoints and increased officers working DUI Saturation Patrols on the road, aim to drastically reduce drunk driving on our nation’s roads.

The Chino Police Department will deploy a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint and special roving DUI Saturation Patrols to stop and arrest alcohol and drug impaired drivers during the end of summer 18 day DUI campaign.  The DUI/Drivers License checkpoint will be on August 26 with DUI Saturation Patrols throughout the campaign. Police, Sheriff and the California Highway Patrol will be out looking for the tale-tell signs of drunk driving in order to stop and arrest impaired drivers throughout the region.

According to NHSTA, on average, over 10,000 people died each year (2010 to 2014) in drunk-driving crashes nationwide while California recorded 882 deaths. During the 2014 Labor Day holiday weekend (6 p.m. August 29 – 5:59 a.m. September 2), 40% of the fatalities in traffic crashes involved drunk drivers, which was the highest percentage over the five years 2010 to 2014. And nighttime proves to be the most dangerous time to be out on the roads: During the 2014 Labor Day holiday period, 83% of drunk-driving crash fatalities occurred between 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. – as compared to half of all drunk-driving crash fatalities throughout the rest of that year.

Additionally, 40% of crash fatalities on Labor Day weekend in 2014 involved drunk drivers (with blood alcohol concentrations [BACs] of .08 or higher), amounting to 162 lives lost nationwide and 20 in California. And we’re not just talking about a little bit of alcohol, either. More than a quarter (28%) of the crash fatalities that occurred on Labor Day weekend involved drivers with BACs of .15 or higher—almost twice the illegal limit.

“People need to understand that drunk driving is not only deadly, but it is illegal,” said Chief Karen Comstock. “Drunk driving is a massive problem in the United States, with more than 10,000 people dying annually. Drivers need to pay attention to their own driving, but also to others on the road who could be driving drunk,” she added. “It is your business. If you think you see a drunk driver, report them – call 911.”

The reality is that people aren’t invincible. Of the 9,967 people who were killed in impaired-driving crashes in 2014, 64% were the drunk drivers themselves. Those 6,391 drunk drivers thought they would make it to their destinations, but they didn’t.

Chino PD reminds everyone:

  • Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.
  • Before drinking, designate a sober driver.
  • Drivers are encouraged to download the Designated Driver VIP, or “DDVIP,” free mobile app for Android or iPhone.  The DDVIP app helps find nearby bars and restaurants that feature free incentives for the designated sober driver, from free non-alcoholic drinks to free appetizers and more.  The feature-packed app even has social media tie-ins and even a tab for the non-DD to call Uber, Lyft or Curb.
  • DRUGS, MEDICATION & ALCOHOL = CRASHES:  Recent statistics reveal that 30% of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems. A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14%) than did for alcohol (7.3%).  Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4%, slightly more than alcohol.
  • If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take your friend’s keys and help your friend make other arrangements to get to where he or she is going safely

As the summer winds to an end, remember that there’s no excuse for drunk or impaired driving.  Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

Chino PD DUI Checkpoint Results

Staff Reports  dui+checkpoint2

Chino – Chino Police Department conducted a DUI checkpoint June 10 from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. on the 12300 block of Mountain Avenue.

Out of the 870 vehicles to drive through, 2 arrests were made for DUI, 12 citations for driving while suspended/unlicensed, 6 vehicles were towed, and 6 other citations were given.

Chino PD remains committed to keep drunk drivers off the street and also encourages people to look for alternate ways of transportation if they know they will be drinking.

From a recent article in http://www.quitalcohol.com, millions of people worldwide drive after drinking. Many say “What’s the harm, I got home safely and no one was hurt?”  Just because you made it home without an accident does not mean that you’ve made a right decision. When putting those keys in the ignition and driving away after drinking you are not only putting your life at risk but also risking the lives of all those you come across while driving. For more information, further read “The Dangers of Drinking and Driving” and how you can make a difference at http://www.quitalcohol.com.

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

 

Chino: Traffic Grant Awarded To Chino Police Department

STAFF REPORTS

Chino – The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) has awarded the Chino Police Department a $139,280 grant for special enforcement and public awareness efforts to prevent traffic related deaths and injuries from impaired and distracted driving. The funding is designed for a year and further supports the City’s ongoing commitment to keeping the roadways safe and improve the quality of life through enforcement and education.

“Remember, it’s not worth the risk,” states Chino Police Chief Miles Pruitt, “far too often our citizens are injured, and sometimes killed, as a result of traffic collisions caused by unsafe, impaired or distracted drivers. With the assistance of OTS we will be able to increase our enforcement efforts and hopefully keep more tragedies like these from happening.”

After falling drastically between 2006 and 2010, the number of persons killed and injured in traffic collisions slightly increased in 2011 and 2012. Particularly worrisome are recent increases in pedestrian and motorcycle fatalities and the dangers of distracting technologies. This grant funding will provide opportunities to combat these and other devastating problems such as drunk and drugged driving and speeding.

“California’s roadways are still among the safest in the nation,” said Office of Thrift Supervision Director, Rhonda Craft. “But to meet future mobility, safety and sustainability objectives, we must create safer roadways for all users. The Chino Police Department will be using these and other resources to reach the vision we all share toward zero deaths; every one counts.”

Activities that the grant will fund include:

  • Educational Presentations
  • DUI Checkpoints
  • DUI Saturation Patrols
  • Motorcycle Safety Enforcement
  • Distracted Driving Enforcement
  • Seat Belt and Child Safety Seat Enforcement
  • Speed, Red Light and Stop Sign Enforcement
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Enforcement
  • Warrant Service Operations (targeting multiple DUI offenders)
  • Compilation of DUI Hot Sheets (identifying worst-of-the-worst DUI offenders)
  • Specialized DUI and Drugged Driving Training, such as Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), and Drug Recognition Evaluator (DRE)For additional information regarding traffic enforcement and education programs, contact the Traffic Services Unit at (909) 334.3073.

Chino Hills: Watch For Lower Speed Limits

STAFF REPORTS

speed limitsChino Hills – Motorists may notice speed limit signs with bright orange flags on some arterial streets in Chino Hills. The flags have been installed to draw attention to new lower speed limits.

The California Vehicle Code requires that the City set speed limits based upon the 85th percentile, which is the speed at – or below which – 85 percent of the traffic is moving.

New Engineering and Traffic surveys were recently completed, and some speed limits will be lowered as a result. In most cases, speed limits were reduced to enhance public safety due to accident history, the proximity of schools or driveways, roadway curves, visibility, or roadway conditions.

chino-hills-speed-limits

The Status of Traffic Safety in Eastvale

BY JENNIFER MADRIGAL

 

Eastvale – This September a new bicycle safety law, “Three Feet For Safety”, passed requiring motorists to give cyclists a minimum breadth of three feet while on the road. With the large number of accidents in Eastvale over the past year involving vehicles, pedestrians, and often cyclists, the public has raised the question: How safe are the streets of Eastvale?

According to a report by Lt. Pemberton of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, there have been 12 reported “vehicle vs. pedestrian” accidents in Eastvale since January. Six of these accidents have involved minors on bicycles, two involved minors on skateboards and one involved a minor pedestrian. There have been three accidents involving adults on bicycles, one of them being the fatal accident involving Troy Davids.

Are these numbers simply a reflection of poor and unsafe drivers, or are they a reflection of poor enforcement? This was a question that has been raised by multiple citizens as well as the Eastvale Safety Commission. In response, a report was prepared offering an in-depth look into exactly what the Sheriff’s Department is doing to ensure the safety of its citizens.

According to this report, four of the six accidents involving minors were determined to be the fault of the minor. Lt. Pemberton reported that overall, in the City of Eastvale, 56% of vehicle vs. bicycle accidents were caused by the bicyclist.

In response to these numbers, the Eastvale Police Department began implementing several educational and enforcement programs. Two traffic officers and two dedicated traffic community service officers are employed with the express purpose of conducting special operations in traffic safety. These operations include everything from saturation patrols used to target problem areas where repetitive violations are occurring, to safety programs, to DUI checkpoints.

The Eastvale Police Department performed a total of 12 traffic saturations, which included speeding enforcement, distracted driver enforcement, and “Click It Or Ticket” seatbelt programs, issuing a total of 560 citations.

Two safety programs were also conducted at various intersections throughout the City, which resulted in a total of 50 citations. In addition, there was also a “Bicycle Helmet Enforcement Operation” conducted at Roosevelt High School, with over 40 citations issued.

The Eastvale Police Department also came up with an interesting way to educate the public about the true impact of alcohol by holding a “Watch Your BAC” event at Buffalo Wild Wings. This event was a great way for the public to not only meet and get to know our local officers, but it was also very informative in teaching people about the blood alcohol content in their systems, and how quickly they can become impaired.

In conclusion, positive steps are being taken to ensure the safety of everyone in this community. However, simple things like wearing a helmet, educating your children about how to cross a street and when it is safe to cross a street, go a long way. While drivers do need to remember to pay attention when they drive, pedestrians and bicyclists need to understand that they are responsible for their personal safety and should be defensive as well.

 

 

Pomona: Jay Walkers Beware

STAFF REPORTS

 

JAYWALK            Pomona – Traffic Safety has been a topic in the news quite a bit lately. With the seemingly increased number of pedestrian and bicyclist accidents and deaths, cities are cracking down on the rules of the road that apply to everyone.

As the Pomona Police Department says, Be Safe, Be Seen, and Be Smart, schooling us with the encouragement of the “3 Es of Traffic Safety: Education, Engineering and Enforcement.” Pomona has been working tirelessly on their campaign to reduce collisions and keep pedestrians and bicyclists safer. They have deployed electronic message boards reminding drivers to be attentive with over 250 hours of messaging. The next phase is to enforce the teachings.

You may be aware of the recent “Three Feet For Safety” law that went into effect on Sept. 16, mandating motorists to allow at least three feet between their vehicle and bicyclists moving in the same direction, or slow down and wait until it is safe to pass. Keeping that safer distance in check will help to reduce the number of collisions.

We’ve all heard that pedestrians have the right of way, but there are rules for them, too. According to the Pomona Police Department, there were 79 pedestrian related vehicle collisions in 2013. These collisions resulted in 69 injuries and 3 fatalities. The causes of these collisions can be attributed to drivers not yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks as well as pedestrians who unsafely walk onto the roadway, not conscious of their surroundings.

But we’ve all come upon the pedestrian that takes their right-of-way status a little too seriously. They cross in the middle of the street, and seem to slow down upon your approach. Sometimes they even look you in the eye, daring you to move.

Pomona Police investigators have concluded that some of our pedestrian related collisions were the cause of pedestrians disobeying a lighted traffic signal, suddenly running or crossing into the path of a vehicle, misjudging the speed and distance of a vehicle and alcohol consumption by the pedestrian as a contributing factor. UC Berkeley researchers have found that 30% of all pedestrian fatalities are related to improper street crossing.

The California Vehicle Code (CVC) prohibits pedestrian crossings at very specific locations, which leads us to the concept of “jaywalking,” or crossing between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic signals. Pedestrians do have a requirement not to cross a roadway that puts them in an immediate and dangerous conflict with a vehicle, and must use due care for their safety.

The Pomona Police Department says that now, pedestrians who suddenly walk or run onto the roadway, which can make them a hazard to vehicles, can be cited per the CVC. Pedestrians are also obligated, when they are not in a marked or unmarked crosswalk, to yield the right-of-way to all vehicles so as to not become an immediate hazard.

Remember: Be Safe, Be Seen, and Be Smart. Pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists all must take steps to ensure safety by following traffic signs, signals and rules.

If you would like more information about traffic safety, contact the Pomona Police Traffic Services Bureau at (909) 620-2081.

 

 

Chino: DUI Checkpoint Yields 9 Arrests

City of Chino

Chino – The Chino Police Department successfully concluded a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint during the early hours of Sat., Aug. 23, resulting in nine arrests. Two subjects were arrested for DUI, three were arrested for drug related charges and four were arrested for outstanding warrants. Twenty-five citations were also issued for various offenses including 18 citations for unlicensed/suspended drivers. A total of 5 vehicles were impounded.

The checkpoint was part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign funded by the State of California, Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It took place from approximately 8:00 p.m. Friday, to 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning, in the 11600 block of Central Avenue.

The purpose of this type of checkpoint is to educate the public, arrest impaired drivers who are operating vehicles while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, cite unlicensed drivers, and to reduce the number of victims killed or injured in alcohol-related collisions.

The Chino Police Department encourages people to call 911 to report suspected drunk drivers.

Norco: Sheriff’s Deputies Arrest Three for Felony Charges during Crosswalk Safety Operation

Norco Sheriff’s Office Press Release
June 23, 2014
Sergeant Christian Dekker

On Monday, June 23, 2014, Deputies assigned to the Norco Sheriff’s Office conducted an operation at the intersection of Hamner Avenue and 6th Street in the city of Norco, in response to traffic safety related complaints. “We had such an outpour of community support for our last crosswalk operation in April; that we decided to do another one.” Lieutenant Daniel Hedge said. “Many people within the Norco Community have voiced their frustration with the blatant disregard some drivers have for others safety.”

The main focus of the operation was to identify motorists who failed to yield to the pedestrian deputy in the crosswalk (Vehicle Code Section 21950(a)). The pedestrian deputy and the safety companion deputy would call out the observed violation over the radio to uniformed deputies staged nearby. The uniformed deputies would then conduct enforcement stops, contact the driver of the vehicle and issue citations.

While conducting the operation, deputies contacted three subjects who were subsequently arrested for felony charges. The following people were arrested and booked into Robert Presley Detention Center:

  1. Gonzalo Hurtado – 22 years old – Possession of controlled substance and violation of probation.
  2. Joseph Rosales – 26 years old – Possession of controlled substance and violation of probation.
  3. Gustavo Chavez – 23 years old – Felony warrant for possession of stolen property.

The following are the results of the crosswalk safety operation:

  • 50 Citations were issue (Fail to Yield for Pedestrian/ Red Light/Grid Lock/ Cell Phone)
  • 1 Arrest for Unlicensed Driver
  • 1 Vehicle Impounded
  • 1 Arrested on a Felony Warrant
  • 2 Suspects arrested for illegal drugs (possession/transportation/sales)

It should be noted that many motorists yielded for the pedestrian in the crosswalk, which is to be commended. The Norco Sheriff’s Office plans to conduct additional operations in the near future.

EASTVALE: Traffic Saturations Raise Questions from Residents

BY: JENNIFER MADRIGAL

(Image courtesy : City of Eastvale)

(Image courtesy : City of Eastvale)

EASTVALE – On March 25, residents contacted our Eastvale Community News Facebook about a large presence of police on Limonite. Authorities were contacted and we reported that the Riverside Sheriff’s Department was just conducting routine patrols and no major issues were reported. Later that day, the City of Eastvale released a press release explaining that the Eastvale Traffic Police Department’s Traffic Division conducted a Safety Enforcement Operation as part of its commitment to public safety. The operation was conducted at two different intersections. The first intersection was near Limonite Avenue and Sumner Avenue and the second intersection was Limonite Avenue and Hamner Avenue. This operation is one of many that will be conducted throughout the year and was done in response to ongoing citizen concerns of speeding, texting and using cellphones while driving. This operation resulted in 50 citations being issued of which 4 vehicles were towed for drivers operating without a valid drivers license. The traffic saturation, as these are commonly called, was conducted between the hours of 7am-8:30am and again from 12pm-2:20pm.

At the March 25 Safety Council Meeting, Eastvale resident, Don Pettinger,  questioned the necessity of this operation and was concerned that these types of “sweeps” give the city a bad reputation.  Pettinger addressed the commission and stated that, ”All that we (Eastvale Police Department) do is issue citations on Limonite, Hamner and Sumner and everyone kind of knows where those officers are hidden”. In response to Mr. Pettinger’s concerns, Lieutenant Yates, Eastvale’s Asst. Chief of Police, explained that the original purpose of todays traffic saturation was actually aimed towards the local schools, but when officers realized that the schools were on spring break, they made a last minute decision to instead focus on speeding, texting and drivers using cellphones. This in itself is a large issue and residents have complained about these issues frequently to The Riverside Sheriff’s Department.  Yates further explained that these types of sweeps are common and that citations are necessary because, “warnings don’t always work and so we have to issue citations because that’s how you bring traffic collisions down”.

According to Yates, the purpose of these sweeps is in direct response to community concerns. For example, Riverside Sheriff’s Department has done numerous sweeps on issues from bike safety and helmet usage, to truancy, to burglary and drug sweeps, etc. All of these sweeps have been done with the intent of improving public safety.  The issue of the City doing these sweeps in order for a revenue boost was also brought up, but City Manager Carol Jacobs, shook her head and asserted that that simply was not true. According to Jacobs, the city gets very little revenue from citations and that the amount of money from  fines and citations is merely “a drop in the bucket”.

While the need for these sweeps and saturations is definitely needed and valid, especially around our schools, many residents feel that other areas need more attention. Pettinger voiced this issue when he said, ” Eastvale’s two major problems are residential burglaries and burglaries from vehicles during the daytime hours, so  what do they do, they create saturations and shoot radar instead of giving neighborhoods saturated patrols for possible burglary activities”.  In response to this, Yates again explained how the saturations work and how revenue is generated with very little of the revenue going to the City.  Yates also explained how the Sheriff’s Department is committed to acting on the concerns of the citizens and actively trying to conduct various sweeps to increase overall public safety.

One way that the Riverside Sheriff’s Department plans on conducting strategic sweeps, is by issuing a calendar with a priority list of schools that would receive extra traffic enforcement. These saturations would be rotated by school, starting with those that have the highest need or priority. This calendar would obviously be shared only by law enforcement and city officials and not to the public. Yates hopes that continued saturations and sweeps will increase safety and cause citizens to be more aware .

The City of Eastvale and the Riverside Sheriff’s Department encourage citizens to always obey the posted speed limits, wear your seat belt(s), refrain from using a hand-held wireless telephone device while driving and follow the traffic signal movements.

Citizens may submit an anonymous crime tips using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

Eastvale Receives DUI Checkpoint Grant

Staff Reports

 

Eastvale – The Police Department for the City of Eastvale has been awarded a 2014 Traffic Safety Grant for an anti-DUI Program.  The $52,975 award from the California Office of Traffic Safety (through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) will be used to help prevent deaths and injuries, and keep our Eastvale roadways safe through enforcement and education.

The grant activities will specifically target impaired driving offenders as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving through the use of DUI/driver’s license checkpoints. When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 30 people die every day in the United States in vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.  This amounts to one death every 48 minutes.  The annual cost of alcohol-related accidents totals more than $51 billion.  However, statistics show that these numbers can drop up to 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted on a frequent basis.  Checkpoints have proven to be the most effective of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while yielding a considerable cost savings of six dollars for every one dollar spent.  DUI Checkpoints are also supported by nearly 90 percent of California drivers.

You can do your part, too.  In this season of celebrations, remember to celebrate responsibly and always drive sober.