Just a few days after the one-year anniversary of the death of 5-year-old Zachary Michael Cruz, the Berkeley Police Department have announced a concentration on pedestrian safety this month.
Last year, 106 pedestrians were injured in collisions in Berkeley. All three of the city’s fatal collisions involved pedestrians in the crosswalks. The police effort will focus on speeding, cell phone use and pedestrian right-of-way violations, among other infringements of the law. Officers will also receive additional training on spotting driving habits that are dangerous for pedestrians.
“The Office of Traffic Safety currently ranks Berkeley highest in terms of the number of pedestrian injury collisions among similarly sized cities in California,” said Police Chief Mike Meehan. “Our focus on pedestrian safety is an appropriate way to remember Zachary and to do our part to make this community safer.”
