The City of Temecula is raising awareness throughout the summer to promote safe driving choices and related outreach campaigns throughout the region including DUITT.org (DUI Terminator Team), Riverside County Sheriff’s S.T.R.E.E.T. (Sheriff’s Takeover Racing Enforcement Team), Southern California Association of Government’s (SCAG) Go Human, and CHP-Temecula’s distracted driver awareness.

Temecula Mayor Mike Naggar states, “Our citywide theme for 2019 is LOVE Temecula, but this is more akin to ‘tough love’ as the City of Temecula has zero tolerance for unsafe driving choices.” Council Member Zak Schwank concurs and states, “A car accident should not always have the word ‘accident’ associated with it because many times it is a choice to run a red light if in a rush, speed, use a cell phone, or drive after consuming alcohol, marijuana, prescriptions, or other substances.”

The City is saturating its traffic deputies at key locations, and will be implementing traffic calming measures at various locations known for speeding such as the Redhawk Parkway/Vail Ranch “loop” and other locations being evaluated. Currently, the Promenade Temecula has a crashed vehicle on display near the theater to demonstrate the consequences of texting and driving. Next month, a different crashed vehicle will be in front of City Hall to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk or drug impaired driving. Look for more information over the next few months about the following topics:

• Distracted Driver - July
• Drunk and/or Drug Impaired Driving - August
• Red Light Runners, Speeders, Bicycling, Pedestrian Crosswalk Safety - September

Besides safely driving, what can you do? For one, report reckless driving activity immediately to 911 with as much information as possible such as description of vehicle, location and direction of travel, license plate and description of driver. It is an emergency. You could save a life. Just remember, do it safely and legally: If calling from your vehicle, either park it or use only an installed hands-free system. All drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using phones while operating a motor vehicle, even with a hands-free system.

Also, share this life-changing true story video with your loved ones, produced by the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) related to texting and driving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=178&v=t7911kgJJZc

You will find other excellent videos on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/USDOTNHTSA/videos

July Topics

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is dangerous, claiming 3,166 lives in 2017 alone.  Get the facts, get involved, and help us keep our roads safe.  Please check out this NHTSA link for this information and more: https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving 

August Topics

Drunk Driving 

Every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes—that's one person every 48 minutes in 2017. These deaths have fallen by a third in the last three decades; however, drunk-driving crashes claim more than 10,000 lives per year. In 2010, the most recent year for which cost data is available, these deaths and damages contributed to a cost of $44 billion that year.  Please check out this NHTSA link for this information and more: https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving 

Drug-Impaired Driving

You can’t drive safely if you’re impaired. That’s why it’s illegal everywhere in America to drive under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, opioids, methamphetamines, or any potentially impairing drug–prescribed or over the counter. Driving while impaired by any substance—legal or illegal—puts you and others in harm’s way. Learn the latest research on drug-impaired driving, misconceptions about marijuana use, and what you can do to make smarter choices to drive safely.  Please check out this NHTSA link for this information and more: https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving#issue-marijuana-impairs 

September Topics

STOP at a Red Light!  

Red light running happens frequently and is often deadly.  Between 2004-2016, an estimated 10,125 people were killed in crashes related to red-light running according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  In 2017, 880 people were killed and an estimated 132,000 were injured in crashes involving red-light running.  IIHS found that about half of red-light running crash deaths involve pedestrians, cyclists and occupants in vehicles struck by the red-light runners.  Please check out this NHTSA link for this information and more: https://ncsrsafety.org/stop-on-red/ 

For this list of reasons (below) to STOP ON RED, more information warning about the dangers of red light running, and the National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) annual Stop on Red week, go to this link: https://ncsrsafety.org/stop-on-red/

Speeding 

Speeding endangers everyone on the road: In 2017, speeding killed 9,717 people, accounting for more than a quarter (26%) of all traffic fatalities that year. We all know the frustrations of modern life and juggling a busy schedule, but speed limits are put in place to protect all road users. Learn about the dangers of speeding and why faster doesn’t mean safer.  Please check out this NHTSA link for this information and more: https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/speeding 

For more speeding and driver safety information please go to this link: https://temeculaca.gov/296/Drivers

Bicycle Safety

There were 783 bicyclists killed in traffic crashes in the United States in 2017. As you might expect, when a crash occurs between a vehicle and a bike, it’s the cyclist who is most likely to be injured. Learn bicycle safety tips and rules of the road, from properly fitting your helmet to driving defensively and predictably. Find out what you can do to prevent bicycle injuries and deaths, and remember: A large percentage of crashes can be avoided if motorists and cyclists follow the rules of the road and watch out for each other.  Please check out this NHTSA link for this information and more: https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/bicycle-safety 

For more bicyclist safety information please go to this link: https://temeculaca.gov/292/Bicyclists

Pedestrian / Cross Walk Safety

At some point in the day, everyone is a pedestrian. While pedestrian fatalities remain high, there was a 1.7% decrease in the number of pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2017, totaling 5,977 deaths.  Find out how to protect yourself and your loved ones when walking, and learn how you can help prevent pedestrian injuries and deaths.  Please check out this NHTSA link for this information and more: https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/pedestrian-safety#resources 

For more pedestrian safety information please go to this link: https://temeculaca.gov/293/Pedestrians

For more cross walk safety information please go to this link: https://temeculaca.gov/294/Parents

P.S. Drive Safe! Love, Temecula.