Police Files
NBPD to conduct May operations focusing on correcting most dangerous driver behaviors
The Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) will conduct a traffic safety operation during the month of May focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk.
These violations include speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield or provide right of way to bicyclists or pedestrians, or failing to stop for signs and signals.
“We all have places to be and not everyone gets there by car,” said Lieutenant Eric Little. “Bicyclists and pedestrians have the same rights to the road but face even more risk without the protections vehicles have. We should all be looking out for one another.”
The NBPD offers steps drivers and pedestrians can take to greatly reduce the risk of getting injured or in a crash:
Pedestrians
–Be predictable. Use crosswalks, when available.
–Take notice of approaching vehicles and practice due care.
–Do not walk or run into the path of a vehicle. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.
–Be visible. Make it easy for drivers to see you – wear light colors, reflective material and carry a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk or at night.
–Be extra careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night when it is harder to see, or when crossing busier streets with more lanes and higher speed limits.
Drivers
–Follow the speed limit and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.
–Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn.
–Never drive impaired.
Bicyclists
–Obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector), and wear a helmet.
–Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.
–Avoid the door zone: Do not ride too closely to parked cars.
–If there’s a bike lane, use it, unless making a left turn, passing, or approaching a place where a right turn is allowed.
–Yield to pedestrians. Bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or within unmarked crosswalks at intersections.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Extra officers will patrol during month concentrating on violations that make the roads unsafe for motorcyclists
Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) will have extra officers on patrol during May from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. looking specifically for violations made by drivers and motorcycle riders.
The top primary crash factors for motorcycles are unsafe speed, improper turning, right-of-way violations, driving under the influence and unsafe lane changes. Speeding is the most common, accounting for nearly a third of all crashes in the state.
To help protect you and your family, keep the following tips in mind while driving or riding:
Drivers
–Always check twice for motorcycles in your mirrors and blind spots. Use your signal when changing lanes.
–Never follow a motorcycle too closely. Always keep a safe distance. When at an intersection, allow enough space before turning.
Motorcyclists
–Always wear a DOT compliant helmet and protective gear.
–Consider adding reflective tape to make it easier for other drivers to see you.
–Always keep your lights on, even during the day.
–Don’t assume drivers see you: Signal well in advance before changing lanes and watch for turning vehicles.
–Although lane splitting is legal, the practice is not encouraged at high speeds in free-flowing traffic.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.