Street Smarts was created in 2004 following the tragic deaths of three San Ramon Valley children in two separate traffic-related accidents. Realizing that traffic incidents do not stop at political borders, the San Ramon Valley community came together to create the Street Smarts Program, a traffic safety education program.
In its first year, Street Smarts launched efforts targeted at the elementary school population through a Poster Contest. The program expanded in 2005 to reach middle school students and in 2007, high school students. The program is intended to grow and evolve as new issues relating to traffic safety surface. Currently, the program engages the community through in-school activities and discussions, contests, traffic safety advertising campaigns, and community events.
Street Smarts helps the San Ramon Valley address all three “E’s” of traffic safety. Street Smarts focuses on the education component, while at the same time complementing the work of other agencies that focus on engineering and enforcement.
Our community is a pedestrian-friendly city, with ample trails and sidewalks lining most streets. While walking may be simple, it’s important to learn and know the basics of walking safely around crosswalks, in parking lots, and elsewhere around town.
1. Always cross at an intersection and preferably in a crosswalk.
2. Make eye contact with drivers to be sure you are seen.
3. Always look left, right, and left again before crossing a street.
4. Avoid wearing headphones or using your phone when crossing the street.
5. Watch for traffic the entire time you are crossing a street.
6. Be aware of turning vehicles.
7. Do not cross in the middle of the street or between parked cars.
8. Avoid walking in traffic where there are no sidewalks or crosswalks.
9. If you have to walk on a road without sidewalks, walk facing traffic.
10. Never walk behind a vehicle that is backing up.
11. Watch for cars entering or exiting driveways, or backing up in parking lots.
12. Wear bright colors or reflective clothing if walking at night. Consider carrying a flashlight.
13. Don’t start walking if you see a flashing DON’T WALK SIGNAL.
14. Wait for the WALK signal to cross the street safely.
Street Smarts... a program that helps educate our children and the public about traffic safety and responsibility. To learn more, please visit: http://www.street-smarts.com/
A Collaborative Multi-Agency Effort
- City of San Ramon
- Contra Costa County
- San Ramon Valley Unified School District
- Town of Danville
- San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District
- Street Smarts Advisory Committee
|
|