The Daly City Police Department recently received a grant to improve pedestrian safety with the "Back2Basics" program targeting aging adults and youth.
The California Office of Traffic Safety awarded the City of Daly City Police Department a grant to reduce pedestrian collisions. The $70,000 grant, which is funded through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is intended to help the City target aging adults and children, who are among the most at risk of experiencing a pedestrian injury or fatality.
According to the Office of Traffic Safety, among the 56 cities in the 100,000+ population category, Daly City ranked ninth out of 56, making the City one of the highest rates of collisions for pedestrians age 65 and older. The City ranked 24th for all pedestrian collisions, and 46th for pedestrians age 15 and younger. These statistics came from 2012 collected data.
“We will be using the grant to reach out to our seniors and youth with educational forums and presentations,” said Chief of Police Manuel Martinez Jr. “We want to make a measurable difference in reducing pedestrian and motorist collisions in our community.”
The Police Department will be partnering with the Jefferson Unified School District and the Doelger Senior Center to conduct an education and outreach campaign targeting our youth as they navigate the difficulty of living in an urban and congested area, as well as the senior population that often relies on public transportation to move about the City.
In addition, the grant will help the City focus on enhanced enforcement. Residents can expect to see the Police Department issue pedestrian violations. This enforcement is aimed at bringing awareness to the parents and school staff regarding their obligation to keep children safe while walking to and from campuses. Likewise, the Department will continue to target enforcement in areas where we see high transit use by our seniors such as around main thoroughfares, bus lines, and Bay Area Rapid Transit hubs.
Groups interested in hosting an educational presentation about pedestrian safety are encouraged to contact the Police Department at (650) 991-8107.
