BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The California Highway Patrol will be conducting a pedestrian safety enforcement operation on Friday, September 9, 2022 as part of its ongoing efforts to improve pedestrian safety in Kern County. The operation will focus on motorist and pedestrians who fail to yield the right-of-way or who take unsafe and illegal actions.

CHP is conducting a public awareness and enforcement program to educate and encourage members of the community to develop and maintain safe practices while driving, walking, and cycling throughout Kern County, according to a press release by the CHP.

Plain-clothes officers will be crossing streets while uniformed officers monitor the crosswalk for motorists and pedestrians who fail to yield the right-of-way. Officers will conduct these operations at crosswalks identified as having a high number of pedestrian fatalities and injuries.

Drivers and pedestrians stopped during this safety operation may be issued warnings or citations.

CHP believes that crosswalk enforcement actions are an effective way to communicate pedestrian right-of-way laws to both drivers and pedestrians. Pedestrian enforcement actions are conducted in response to requests from the community. CHP hopes to educate the public about the traffic rules at both marked and unmarked crossings.

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