Making Pedestrian Safety a Priority

A recent Belmont pedestrian “sting operation” conducted by a group of local law enforcement officers, including officers from Belmont, Foster and San Mateo, raised the concern of pedestrian safety throughout the city. The sting operation, which placed a “decoy” pedestrian at several different crosswalk locations throughout the city, showed how quickly a pedestrian accident can occur and how numerous drivers are not observing pedestrians’ right-of-way. As a result of the sting operation, 77 out of the 93 drivers pulled over by police were issued tickets for failing to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian.

According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2009 more than 4,000 pedestrians were killed and more than 59,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic collisions across the nation. Shockingly, a Transportation for America study revealed four of the top ten large urban areas with the highest percentage of pedestrian accident fatalities were in California. The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont area ranked third (almost 28 percent of traffic accident deaths were pedestrians) while the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area ranked sixth (more than 22 percent of traffic accident deaths were pedestrians). Although California has some of the safest roads in the country, the state’s mild climate means more pedestrians are walking year-round, which increases the chances of a pedestrian accident occurring.

How can pedestrian safety be improved in Belmont? Pedestrian safety should be a collaborative effort between motorists, pedestrians, police, community groups and government agencies. Both motorists and pedestrians are encouraged to educate themselves on pedestrian rules, rights and responsibilities. Reviewing chapter five of the Department of Motor Vehicle’s handbook, which addresses pedestrians’ rights and duties, is a good place to start learning about pedestrian laws in California.

My experience as a northern California pedestrian accident attorney has made me aware of the unique issues pedestrians in Belmont and the surrounding areas face. In the many years I have been practicing personal injury law, I have learned that making pedestrian safety a priority in our communities is a task that every resident should participate in. I encourage all Belmont residents to contact their local law officials, and local and state transportation agencies to learn how they can help resolve pedestrian problems in their community. Together, with the help of police, community groups and government agencies, we can prevent a tragic pedestrian accident-related injury or death from occurring.