SAVANNAH, GA (October 29,2015): Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department is reminding motorists and pedestrians of key tips for avoiding accidents when traveling throughout the area.
Thus far in 2015, there were 115 vehicular accidents involving pedestrians reported in SCMPD’s jurisdiction. One hundred thirteen of those accidents resulted in injuries. In 2014, the jurisdiction experienced 142 auto accidents involving pedestrians, with 95 resulting in injuries.
To clear common misconceptions about rights of way on area streets, SCMPD has issued tips to promote safety of drivers and pedestrians by shedding light on their duel responsibilities in achieving this goal.
Traffic Safety Tips:
- Everyone must adhere to traffic and pedestrian control signals at all times.
- Drivers must stop and remain stopped for any pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk.
- Pedestrians entering roadways must give motorists reasonable stopping time. At no time should pedestrians dart out in front of moving vehicles.
- At no time should motorists pass other vehicles stopped at crosswalks.
- Drivers must exercise proper awareness of their surroundings to avoid colliding with pedestrians.
- When necessary, drivers may give warning to by sounding a horn to avoid collisions.
- Motorists must always pay special attention to children, the intoxicated and those obviously confused or incapacitated.
- Pedestrians crossing streets outside of crosswalks must always yield the right of way to vehicles. However, motorists must yield to pedestrians who have already entered the road under safe conditions.
- Between adjacent intersections containing traffic signals, pedestrians may only use marked crosswalks. Pedestrians must never cross roadway intersections diagonally unless prompted to do so by traffic control devices.
- Pedestrians and motorists must yield the right of way to any emergency vehicle with activated emergency alert equipment.
***Prepared by Darnisha Green
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