Tuesday Traffic Tip-Lights and siren mean pull to the right.

California Vehicle Code section 21806(a)(1) states that “Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle which is sounding a siren and which has at least one lighted lamp exhibiting red light that is visible, under normal atmospheric conditions, from a distance of 1,000 feet to the front of the vehicle, the surrounding traffic shall, except as otherwise directed by a traffic officer, do the following: the driver of every other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to the right-hand edge or curb of the highway, clear of any intersection, and thereupon shall stop and remain stopped until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed”.

So what does this mean for you as a driver?

1.   If you see an emergency vehicle behind you (fire truck, ambulance, or police vehicle) and they have a siren sounding and a solid red light displayed, you as the driver need to immediately pull over to the ride side of the road.

2.  Once you have safely pulled over to the right side of the road you need to remain there until the emergency vehicle has passed you.

3.   If you are traveling on a road where there is a raised center median and the emergency vehicle is approaching you from the opposite way, you still should yield to the right side of the road until the emergency vehicle has passed you.

 

When emergency vehicles are travelling with lights and siren on there is an emergency that needs to be attended to. It is very important to be aware of your surroundings when driving. Minimizing the distractions inside your vehicle can allow you as a driver to look and listen for emergency vehicles travelling with their lights and siren on. A vehicle failing to yield as required by law is not only dangerous but can hinder the response time of the emergency professionals.

 

BOTTOM LINE:

 

LIGHTS AND SIRENS = PULL TO THE RIGHT 

Please be careful and drive safely.

 Kollin Cieadlo

Sergeant Kollin Cieadlo

Arcadia Police Department

Traffic Bureau Sergeant

 

 

Holiday Safety Tip- Pool Safety

Summer is upon us and one of the biggest attractions during this time of year is the swimming pool. Unfortunately, our pools are also one the leading contributors to accidents, injury and death in the home. Children love water and a pool is an inviting place, not only in the summer, but throughout the year for a young child. That is why there are rules and regulations that apply to all residential swimming pools. Fences, alarms, clearance, self-closing gates and latches, are just some of the requirements. Visit your local City website and view the municipal code requirements or call your local City Hall.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has a handout available on-line that gives excellent tips for pool safety. See the City of Arcadia website and other sources, such as the Red Cross, for additional tips and resources available on the web.

In addition to the physical requirements, remember to always be aware of your young childs where abouts when pools are near. Even if they know how to swim, keep an eye on them. Set rules for your children about not using the pool without adult supervision, keep toys and other inviting objects away from the pool when not in use, always have a phone available near the pool, keep pool gates locked and shut when not using them, do not place ladders or chairs against the outside of a pool fence. Learn basic safety techniques and take a CPR class. Be proactive and prevent accidents before they happen!

Summer time is also a time for outdoor gatherings and hosting a pool party. Never assume your child is being watched. Appoint someone to be the "pool monitor" at all times. Time is not on your side with a drowning victim. Drowning can happen in a matter of seconds. Answering the phone, getting another drink, grabbing a snack, all allow time for a drowning. Be responsible and be always aware of what is happening in the pool! If a child is missing, the first place to look should be the pool. In the event of an emergency, immediately call 9-1-1.

Memorial Day 2014

The men and women of the Arcadia Police Department want to say "Thank You" to all members of the United States Armed Forces who currently serve, or served our country.

To the men and women who served our country and gave the ultimate sacrifice, we salute you!

We urge you to take the time to say "Thanks" to our veterans and to current members of our military, not just today, but everyday.

 

Please enjoy your holiday weekend responsibly. 

Weekly Activity Highlights: May 4-10, 2014

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_5.4.14.pdf

Click it or Ticket Campaign: May 19-June 1, 2014

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

May 8, 2014

 

                                          CONTACT: Sgt. K. Cieadlo – 626-574-5475 – email

 

Life Saving Click It or Ticket Mobilization Begins

Arcadia Police Department Kicks Off High Visibility Enforcement

 

[Arcadia, CA) The Arcadia Police Department wants to remind motorists to Click It or Ticket.  In order to enforce this reminder, beginning Monday, May 19th, officers will be joining in the 2014 national seat belt enforcement mobilization and cracking down on motorists who are not belted.

 

Even with a seatbelt usage rate of 97.4 percent, California still has 800,000 or more who aren’t buckling up.  In a crash, they stand a 50 percent greater chance of being killed than those who have taken the two seconds to buckle in.  In an on-going effort to reach those remaining safety hold-outs, police, sheriff and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) departments across the state will be taking part in Click It or Ticket from May 19 through June 1.

 

“Memorial Day weekend kicks off summer vacation season, and we want to ensure that everyone arrives at their destination safe and sound,” said Sgt. Kollin Cieadlo. “If you are not wearing your seat belt, you will be ticketed.”

 

According to new data released from the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), fatalities are up nationwide for the first time in five years. In 2012, 10,335 people who were killed in motor vehicle crashes were not wearing their seat belts. NHTSA data also details how more traffic vehicle deaths occur at night. In 2012, 61 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed during the nighttime hours of 6:00 p.m. – 5:59 a.m. were not wearing their seat belts.  

 

“Wearing a seat belt is one of the easiest and best things you can do to protect yourself in the event of a car crash,” said Rhonda Craft, Director of the California Office of Traffics Safety. “Taking a few moments to properly secure yourself and all your passengers before going on your way could mean the difference between life and death.”

 

The cost for a seat belt violation in California for unbuckled vehicle occupants over age 16 is a minimum of $161 for a first offense. The penalty fees for failing to properly buckle up any child under the age of 16 is a minimum $490 per child for a first offense, plus a violation point will be added to the driver’s record. If the parent is not in the car, the driver gets the ticket.

 

For more traffic safety information, visit the California Office of Traffic Safety or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ClickIt or Ticket mobilization.

 

 

Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, 2014

PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY AND POLICE WEEK, 2014

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Each year, America sets aside a week to salute the men and women who do the difficult, dangerous, and often thankless work of safeguarding our communities. Our Nation's peace officers embody the very idea of citizenship -- that along with our rights come responsibilities, both to ourselves and to others. During Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, we celebrate those who protect and serve us every minute of every day, and we honor the courageous officers who devoted themselves so fully to others that in the process they laid down their lives. 

As we mourn the fallen, let us also remember how they lived. With unflinching commitment, they defended our schools and businesses. They guarded prisons; patrolled borders; and kept us safe at home, on the road, and as we went about our lives. To their families, we owe an unpayable debt. And to the men and women who carry their mission forward, we owe our unyielding support. 

Our Nation has an obligation to ensure that as police officers face untold risks in the line of duty, we are doing whatever we can to protect them. This means providing all necessary resources so they can get the job done, hiring new officers where they are needed most, and investing in training to prepare those on the front lines for potentially deadly situations. It also means making reforms to curb senseless epidemics of violence that threaten law enforcement officers and haunt the neighborhoods they serve. 
Just as police officers never let down their guard, we must never let slide our gratitude. We should extend our thanks not only in times of tragedy, but for every tragedy averted -- every accident avoided because a patrol officer took a drunk driver off the streets, every child made safer because a criminal was brought to justice, every life saved because police officers raced to the scene. In other words, we must show our gratitude every day. 

By a joint resolution approved October 1, 1962, as amended (76 Stat. 676), and by Public Law 103-322, as amended (36 U.S.C. 136-137), the President has been authorized and requested to designate May 15 of each year as "Peace Officers Memorial Day" and the week in which it falls as "Police Week." 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 15, 2014, as Peace Officers Memorial Day and May 11 through May 17, 2014, as Police Week. I call upon all Americans to observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also call on Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day. I further encourage all Americans to display the flag at half-staff from their homes and businesses on that day. 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth. 

BARACK OBAMA

Tuesday Tip- May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. This post will offer some tips on motorcycle safety and education.

Summer time or gas prices may both be reasons why many people turn to a motorcycle for their daily commute. Motorcycles can save time and fuel cost, but without proper training and practice, the rider can be much more prone to becoming involved in a collision compared to driving a car. California law requires that a motorcycle rider obtain a Class M1 endorsement on their license. The test is fairly simple and with a minimum of studying and practice, a rider can pass the tests. However, that is NOT enough.

Prior to straddling a motor and hitting the streets or freeways, motorcycle riders need to understand their bikes, know their capabilities as a rider, what to look for, and what to expect while riding. To accomplish this, the rider needs to practice, study, and hopefully, take a safety course. Learning from other's mistakes and taking advantage of the advice from an experienced rider can save your life.

Here are some links to information resources and rider classes:

•California Motorcycle Safety Program

•National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

•Web Bike World

•Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. Sac - Local Safety Classes)

 

 

Happy Mother's Day 2014

Members of the Arcadia Police Department extend Happy Mother's Day wishes to all the moms out there.  Have a great day.

Weekly Activity Highlights- April 27-May 3, 2014

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_4.27.14.pdf

Tuesday Tip- Bicycle Safety/Share the Road

Here are some important rules of the road for bicyclists from the California Department of Motor Vehicles.  All motorists need be aware of these laws.  Drivers and bicyclists alike should Share the Road!

Bicyclists:

•Are entitled to share the road with motor vehicles.

•Have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle and motorcycle drivers.

•Must obey all traffic signals and stop signs.

•Are lawfully permitted to ride on certain sections of roadway in rural areas where there is no alternate route.

•Must ride in the same direction as other traffic, not against it.

•Shall ride as near to the right curb or edge of the roadway as practical– not on the sidewalk.

•Are legally allowed to ride in the center of the lane when moving at the same speed as other traffic.

•May move left to pass a parked or moving vehicle, bicycle, animal, or avoid debris or other hazards.

•May choose to ride near the left curb or edge of a one-way street.

•Should ride single file on a busy or narrow street.

•Must make left and right turns in the same way drivers do, using the same turn lanes. If the bicyclist is traveling straight ahead, he or she should use a through traffic lane rather than ride next to the curb and block traffic making right turns.

•Must signal all their intentions to motorists and bicyclists near them.

•Must wear a helmet if under the age of 18.

•Should carry identification.

•Shall not operate a bicycle on a roadway unless the bicycle is equipped with: 

◦A brake which will enable the operator to make one braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.

Weekly Activity Highlights for April 20-26, 2014

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_4.20.14.pdf