Pedestrian Crosswalk Enforcement
On Tuesday August 29th, 2017, the Sonora Police Department and the Sonora Area CHP will be conducting traffic enforcement throughout various locations within the city limits of Sonora. Officers will be targeting violations that endanger the safety of both pedestrians walking across and motorists driving through marked crosswalks. This is an on-going problem within the City of Sonora and was the primary collision factor in several vehicle vs. pedestrian traffic collisions within the City of Sonora in 2016. Uniformed officers in marked vehicles will be monitoring officers dressed in plain clothes as they will be walking across the street in marked crosswalks. This operation is meant to educate the public about crosswalk safety and violators may be issued warnings or citations.
It is important for the public to remember that any motorist approaching a marked or unmarked crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian who has entered such crosswalk. Pedestrians are also not relieved from the duty of caring for their own safety. Any pedestrian who enters a roadway; whether in a marked or un-marked crosswalk shall not step into the path of an approaching vehicle too close to constitute a hazard for both the pedestrian and motorist.