‘Superhero’ deputies crack down on drivers, pedestrians in Palm Desert
You might’ve seen a superhero walking the streets of Palm Desert Wednesday.
The man dressed as Captain America was Deputy Steven Nelson of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. He was the center of a pedestrian safety enforcement operation put on by the Palm Desert sheriff’s station.
Along with Nelson, the department deployed special patrols who were focused on trouble spots in the city to catch and cite traffic offenders.
“It’s kind of amazing seeing from a pedestrian’s view. A lot of people just don’t pay attention. Even me wearing a bright blue costume, they don’t even see me,” he said.
“We’ve had pedestrians jaywalk while he’s out here crossing the street and drivers not give him the right of way. We’re trying to bring awareness and attention to it,” said Deputy Armando Munoz.
During the seven hour operation, 60 drivers were stopped and cited for violating traffic laws during the seven hour operation. Half of them didn’t yield to pedestrians. Only three pedestrians were cited.
The Sheriff’s Department recommends the following.
Drivers, look out for pedestrians, especially in hard-to-see conditions such as at night or in bad weather.
Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or entering a crosswalk where pedestrians are likely to be. Stop at the crosswalk stop line to give drivers in other lanes an opportunity to see and yield to the pedestrians too. Be cautious when backing up, pedestrians, especially young children, can move across your path.
Walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible if there is no sidewalk. Pay attention to the traffic moving around you. This is not the time to be texting or talking on a cellphone.
Make eye contact with drivers as they approach. Never assume a driver sees you. Wear bright-colored clothing during the day and reflective materials (or use a flashlight) at night.
Look left-right-left before crossing a street.
