Weekly Activity Highlights for January 31 - February 6, 2016

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/home/showdocument?id=5920

Arcadia Gold Line Grand Opening Celebration - Save the Date!

Save the date for Arcadia's Gold Line Grand Opening Celebration, Saturday, March 5, 2016!

Happy Lunar New Year 2016 - Year of the Monkey

 

Wishing everyone the best on this 2016 Lunar New Year!

DUI Enforcement Saturation Patrols

Contact:  Sgt. Kollin Cieadlo – 626-574-5475

DUI Enforcement Operations Planned

Arcadia, CA - Officers from the Arcadia Police Department’s Traffic Bureau will be deploying to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers in the Department’s ongoing traffic safety campaign.  DUI Saturation Patrols will deploy on February 5, 2016 between the hours of 7:00 PM and 3:00 AM in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions and/or arrests.

In California, this deadly crime led to 867 deaths and over 23,000 serious injuries in 2013 because someone failed to designate a sober driver.  Nationally, the latest data shows over 10,000 were killed by an impaired driver. Over the course of the past three years officers have investigated 119 DUI collisions which has resulted in 76 people being injured.

Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems.  A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent).  Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol. Everyone should be mindful that if you’re taking medication – whether prescription or over-the-counter – drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify the impairment affects. 

Law Enforcement emphasizes the preventable nature of drunk driving reminding everyone that all it takes is a little planning ahead. Designate a sober driver or call a cab. But whatever you do, don’t drink and drive. The California Office of Traffic Safety DDVIP (Designated Driver VIP) mobile app is now available for free download on iOS and Android devices. Launched last year, the new DDVIP app offers enhanced features, allowing users to “Map a Spot” with their current location to find DDVIP partnering establishments in their area or a “List of Spots” to search all participating bars and restaurants throughout California. Users will be offered free incentives at each bar to celebrate their life saving role.  They can stay up-to-date with the latest from DDVIP and see what other users are saying via its social tab. Also through the app, for those who want to imbibe but also make it a point to plan ahead, users can easily order a sober ride from Uber, Lyft or Curb – all from one screen. 

The cost of a ride home is cheap, nothing compared to a $10,000 DUI conviction and the ‘inconvenience’ of not driving your own car home is nothing compared to the inconvenience of spending time behind bars.

Funding for this DUI operation is provided to the Arcadia Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1.

Robert T. Guthrie

Chief of Police

By: Kollin Cieadlo

Traffic Sergeant

 Don’t forget to visit the Arcadia Police Department News & Information Blog or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Nixle for other pertinent news and information.  Remember, the solution begins with you!

Weekly Activity Highlights for January 24 - 30, 2016

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/home/showdocument?id=5848

Weekly Tip - What to Do If Involved in a Crash

Traffic collisions can be stressful and confusing. Take the time to be prepared ahead of time so that collecting information accurately and completely will be easy. Check with your insurance agent or a local body shop, sometimes they will supply you with a pre-printed check list that you can keep in your glove box. Another resource is the DMV. There is a page devoted to collision information, including reporting requirements to the State. See the DMV page HERE.

The first thing to do is to check for injuries to you or any other involved driver or passenger. If someone is injured, call 9-1-1 and report the collision immediately. If there are injuries that require medical attention, leave the vehicles in place until police and fire personnel arrive.

If no one is hurt and the vehicles are able to be moved, remove them from the roadway. Pull to the side of the road, into a parking lot, or on to a side street - out of traffic. Evaluate the damage and if there is substantial damage or injury, the police should be called to the scene. If the damage is minor and no one is injured, exchanging information between drivers is acceptable. Most drivers believe that a police report is always required. This is NOT the case and some agencies will not even respond to minor collisions. Absent prosecution for major collisions, death, hit and run, unlicensed drivers etc, the police report is simply paperwork for the insurance companies.

When exchanging information, record the following:

•Date, time and location of the collision

•Name, address and phone numbers for all drivers and passengers

•Drivers license numbers for involved drivers

•Insurance company name, policy number and policy holder for all drivers or vehicles

•Complete vehicle information of involved vehicles to include license number, make, model, color, description such as pick-up, four door etc and name of registered owner if different

•Description of any damage

•Photographs of damage, or lack there of, other parties and scene if safe to do so

•Note lane position of each vehicle and where the vehicles were prior to and at time of collision

•Note any unusual conditions such as inoperative lights, vision obstruction

•Note/photograph any physical evidence like skids or debris resulting from collision

Remember, you must carry with you and present to a police officer, your driver's license, proof of insurance and current vehicle registration when stopped by an officer or involved in a collision.

In California it is a crime to not stop if you are involved in a traffic collision.  As mentioned above, usually traffic collisions are just paperwork for insurance companies.  When you fail to stop when involved in a collision, you can be charged criminally.  The fact that you don't have a valid driver's license or current auto insurance is not worth being charged with a Hit-and-Run. 

Be safe, slow down, and wear your seat belt!!

Directed Enforcement for Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety

Contact:  Sgt. Kollin Cieadlo – 626-574-5475

Traffic Enforcement Operations Plan for Arcadia

The Arcadia Police Department will step up Bike & Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operations on Thursday, February 4, 2016 with focused enforcement on collision causing factors involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

The department has mapped out locations over the past 3 years where pedestrian and bike collisions have occurred along, with the violations that led to those crashes.  Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas where bike and pedestrian traffic and crashes occur in an effort to lower deaths and injuries. 

Officers will be looking for violations made by drivers, bike riders and pedestrians alike that can lead

to life changing injuries.  Special attention will be directed toward drivers speeding, making illegal turns, failing to stop for signs and signals, failing to yield to pedestrians in cross walks or any other dangerous violation.

Additionally, enforcement will be taken for observed violations when pedestrians cross the street illegally or fail to yield to drivers who have the right of way.  Bike riders will be stopped and citations issued when they fail to follow the same traffic laws that apply to motorists.  All riders are reminded to always wear a helmet – those under 18 years of age must wear helmets by law.  Pedestrians should cross the street only in marked crosswalks or at corners.

In 2013, California witnessed 701 pedestrians and 141 bicyclists killed, accounting for more than 28 percent of all traffic fatalities.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Robert T. Guthrie

Chief of Police

By: Kollin Cieadlo

Traffic Sergeant

Don’t forget to visit the Arcadia Police Department News & Information Blog or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Nixle for other pertinent news and information.  Remember, the solution begins with you!