The month of April has been designated Distracted Driving Awareness Month nationwide, and the city of Santa Clarita joins the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station in reminding residents to be a “Heads Up” pedestrian, cyclist or driver.

Law enforcement agencies coast to coast including the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are banding together to educate citizens on traffic safety throughout the month.

“Santa Clarita is consistently rated by its residents and outside organizations as one of the safest and best places in the country to live,” said Santa Clarita Mayor Marsha McLean. “It is our responsibility, as a community, to make sure our City remains one of the safest, by avoiding distractions whether we are driving, crossing the street or riding a bicycle.”

In 2018, the citywide traffic collision rate fell 14 percent to its lowest mark on record – with zero pedestrian or cyclist fatalities for the second consecutive year. However, 2019 has been off to a rocky start, with two fatalities and several dangerous accidents.

“It is disappointing to see how many drivers the deputies pull over for using their cell phones,” said Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Captain Robert Lewis.

“Each of them knows it is not safe and know it is against the law – but still does it,” Lewis said. “The Sheriff’s Department wants to remind everyone that the choice to be responsible behind the wheel is yours. You may have not been impacted by distracted driving yet, but it only takes one time to make a decision that could impact the rest of your life. Please commit to being a responsible driver to protect yourself, your loved ones and others sharing the road, whether you are driving in Santa Clarita or elsewhere.”

In 2019, the “Heads Up” public safety campaign will once again encourage residents to “Disconnect from Distractions” on the road and “See and Be Seen” when they are utilizing sidewalks, bike lanes and crosswalks. Our community was designed with numerous pedestrian bridges so people can safely cross major roads. We urge people to take the few extra steps to bridges or nearby crosswalks to ensure a safe crossing.

For more information about the city’s efforts to improve traffic and pedestrian safety in Santa Clarita, visit santa-clarita.com/HeadsUp.