Volunteers start program to stop pedestrian deaths, protect dogs

A local volunteer organization is taking an active role to stop pedestrian deaths in Palm Springs by making people and their pets more visible at night.

According to the Palm Springs Police Department, in 2016 there were 45 pedestrian versus vehicle crashes in the city and six were fatal. Two more people died after being hit while riding a bicycle.

The group Volunteer Palm Springs is looking to keep pedestrians safe by starting a program called P.S. Cares. People in this program will sell reflective vests for people who walk at night and for man’s best friend.

Human vests cost $25 and dog vests cost $15 and LED flashlights are sold for $5.

“For every two vests that we sell we can give one for free to a senior citizen or to a person in need or a rescue dog when they adopt them at the animal shelter,” said David Carden, founder of Volunteer Palm Springs.

Carden said he often sees people put their lives in danger walking around dark parts of Palm Springs.

“I can’t tell you how many times I have seen at Ruth Hardy Park where the owners are wearing dark clothes and it is a dark color dog so really they are not visible at all, Carden said.

This is just the start for the organization. The group is reaching out to local hotels and vacation rental companies to get vests for guests.

Volunteer Palm Springs is hosting a kick off event this Wednesday at Sunrise Park at noon. One of the reasons they picked that location is multiple pedestrian deaths have happened near the corner of Ramon Road and Sunrise Way over the past couple of years.

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