Public Safety: Safety on rural roads and neighborhoods

Aug. 3--Rural road safety

Rural roadways are the most dangerous, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

Esurance auto insurance analyzed stats and released a report this week, which shows a 16 percent increase in fatal car crashes in California that left 3,594 people dead. It also found that speed was the number one cause of traffic fatalities in the state when compared to driving under the influence (29.8 percent versus 23.6 percent, respectively), while California saw declines in the percentages of fatalities involving speeding, alcohol and distracted driving. There was a slight increase in drug-related crash fatalities. The year 2016 was the most dangerous for California drivers, though, with 3,831 deaths.

While California didn't rank in the top 10 most dangerous states for drivers in 2017 by fatalities (that list goes to Mississippi, Wyoming, South Carolina, Alabama, New Mexico, Montana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Oklahoma and Arkansas), rural roadways in general tend to be more dangerous than urban ones. Some reasons include local law enforcement being stretched thin, with a few tasked with patrolling miles of varied terrain where drunk and distracted driving are common. Surfaces can also be inconsistent with unpaved surfaces, massive potholes, uneven terrain and small shoulders to pull over onto.

What makes roads safer, according to the report -- and aside from the obvious safer driving habits -- include safety initiatives designed to reduce deaths (like Montana's new Zero Fatalities initiative which utilizes predictive crash data); investments in safety improvements (like new rumble strips in Pennsylvania).

*

Neighborhood speed awareness

This month, the Yuba City Police Department will focus its speed prevention efforts on 10 city streets, according to a department press release.

The Neighborhood Speed Awareness Program aims to reduce speed in neighborhoods with enforcement and education -- violators cited under the program attend a class presented by the department, which can nullify a citation.

Attendance in the class requires participation during the two-hour session, where motorists will learn about braking distances, vehicle load dynamics, vehicle versus bicycle/pedestrian injuries and collision prevention. Upon completion of the class, the citation is nullified.

Drivers can choose to attend court or handle the citation traditionally, though the program provides an economical alternative for drivers.

For the month of August, officers will be focusing enforcement efforts on the following streets: B Street, Gray Avenue, Bridge Street, Blevin Road, Clark Avenue, Bunce Road, Morton Street, El Margarita Road, Spirit Way and Garden Highway.

*

The Yuba City Police Department and Sutter County Sheriff's Office are hosting a joint Coffee with a Cop event Wednesday, July 31 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Starbuck's coffee (1294 Stabler Lane).

*

Reporter's Note: This weekly column is a catch-all for public safety topics. If there is something you think we should include, or if you have questions you would like us to pose to law enforcement officials, email rrosenbaum@appealdemocrat.com or call 749-4771.

___

(c)2019 the Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, Calif.)

Visit the Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, Calif.) at www.appeal-democrat.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.