Deadly pedestrian accidents on the rise

A string of deadly pedestrian accidents was recently reported in the Coachella Valley. For the third time in the past six weeks, a pedestrian has been killed. On Oct. 6, 64-year-old James Harper was killed at the intersection of Vista Chino and Via Miraleste in Palm Springs. On Nov. 14, a second pedestrian was killed at the same Palm Springs intersection. And just Tuesday night, a third person was hit and killed as he crossed Avenue 44 in Indio. Sgt. Dan Marshall of the Indio Police Department says traffic-involved fatalities are on the rise. “They’re trying to figure out what is causing this spike, because it was at a 10-year low,” Marshall said. And that’s why the California Office of Traffic Safety awarded the Indio Police Department a $70,000 grant for a special enforcement program. Marshall says the funds will help prevent traffic-related deaths and injuries. “You’ll see police officers looking for people that are jaywalking, where normally they would be assigned to normal traffic duties. They might come in as overtime type of thing, to do a specific area where we notice speeders and jaywalkers. We’ll run DUI checkpoints throughout the year and that’s where that money is going,” Marshall said. As for the intersection in Palm Springs, we investigated what is being done to make it more safe. Caltrans, which is responsible for maintaining that intersection, provided us with this statement: “Caltrans is investigating the pedestrian fatal area in Indio, as well as the intersection of Vista Chino and Via Miraleste in Palm Springs to see if any safety enhancements are necessary for all users at the intersections”. Marshall urges pedestrians to be aware of their surroundings and says to disregard the common myth, “pedestrians have the right-of-way.” “The pedestrian does not always have the right of way. They have to ensure where they’re going is safe. A car traveling 30, 40, 50 miles per hour cannot be expected to stop at a dime when you enter into the roadway,” Marshall said. SAFETY TIPS FOR PEDESTRIANS: – Wear bright colors during the day and light/reflective clothing at night – If possible make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street – Do not wear headphones…listen to your surroundings – Use marked crosswalks – Avoid alcohol consumption Pedestrian Safety Tips according to AAA