The Bakersfield Police Department has been awarded a $28,300 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a year-long program for bicycle/pedestrian safety and education to prevent traffic-related deaths and injuries.
The Bakersfield Police Department will use the funding as part of the city’s ongoing commitment to keep our roadways safe and improve the quality of life through education.
After falling to a ten-year low in 2010, the number of persons killed has climbed nearly 17 percent across the state with 3,176 killed in 2015 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Particularly alarming is the six-year rise in pedestrian and bicycle fatalities. The City of Bakersfield has also seen an increase in the number of bicycle/pedestrians injured.
Activities that the grant will fund include:
- Bicycle and pedestrian educational presentations
- Bicycle and pedestrian rodeos
- Juvenile bike court
- Conduct pre- and post-helmet survey
- Distribute and properly fit bicycle helmets
The department will also participate in multiple national celebrations:
- National Walk to School Day – October 5, 2016
- National Bicycle Safety Month – May 2017
- California’s Pedestrian Safety Month – September 2017
Funding for this program is from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
