RAPID CITYPolice Department

Motorist Tips

Pedestrian Safety

For further information contact:

Rapid City Police DepartmentTraffic Section(605) 394-4130

Rapid City Ordinance (RCO)

10.12.230 Obstructing intersections or crosswalks. 10.36.010 Right-of-way. 10.36.030 Persons accompanied by guide dog or carrying white cane.

South Dakota Codified Law

32-27-1 Yielding right-of-way to pedestrian making proper crossing -- Regulated intersections.

32-27-1.1 Pedestrian defined. The term, pedestrian, when used in this chapter means any person moving or traveling on foot, including any person wearing roller skates, riding on a skateboard, or riding on an electric personal assistive device.

32-27-7 Duty of motorist to stop for pedestrian carrying cane or guided by dog.

32-27-10 Failing to yield right-of-way to persons working on highway. (Highway is any public roadway)

32-30-6.1 Places where stopping prohibited.

Link to City Ordinanceshttp://www.amlegal.com/library/sd/rapidcity.shtml

Link to South Dakota Codified Lawshttp://legis.state.sd.us/statutes/index.aspx

These links can also be found on the Rapid City Police Department’s web site. www.rcgov.org/police under the

Services tab.

Rapid City is a pedestrian friendly community with miles of beautiful bike paths. However, the frequency of pedestrian/motor vehicle collisions has increased significantly over the last year. In Rapid City from 2004 through 2007, there were 15 to 17 pedestrian/motor vehicle accidents per year. In 2008, pedestrian/motor vehicle accidents rose to 29. Of those 29 pedestrian/motor vehicle accidents, two resulted in fatalities. For early 2009, the frequency of pedestrian/motor vehicle accidents was high as well. Sometimes, the accidents were the pedestrian’s fault; sometimes, the accidents were the motor vehicle driver’s fault. Many times, fault was shared by both the pedestrian and the driver of the motor vehicle.

When it comes to pedestrian safety, “It’s a two-way street.” Pedestrians have a responsibility to cross streets at safe locations and with caution. Drivers of motor vehicles have a responsibility to yield to pedestrians at intersections, crosswalks, and in school zones. Rapid City Ordinances and South Dakota State Laws apply to both the motor vehicle driver and to the pedestrian, thus, drivers and pedestrians can both be criminally charged. Pedestrian/motor vehicle statistics from a 2007National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) report

• On average, a pedestrian was killed in a traffic crash every 113 minutes, and injured in a traffic crash every 8 minutes. • 70,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic crashes. • 4,654 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes. • 73% of the pedestrian fatalities occurred in urban areas. • 77% of the pedestrian fatalities occurred at non-intersection locations.

• 90% of the pedestrian fatalities occurred in normal weather conditions. • 67% of the pedestrian fatalities occurred at night. • 70% of the pedestrian fatalities were males. Pedestrians age 70+ accounted for 16% of all pedestrian fatalities. • 20% of all children between age 5 and 9, killed in traffic crashes, were pedestrians. • 36% of all young (under age 16) pedestrian fatalities occurred between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. • 48% of the pedestrian fatalities occurred on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. • Alcohol involvement - by either the driver or the pedestrian - was reported in 49% of the traffic crashes that resulted in pedestrian fatalities.

Safety Tips for Motorists

Please look for pedestrians - STOP for them.Think of the impact you can make.

Watch for pedestrians when - • Making turns - pedestrians in a crosswalk have the right-of-way. • Passing stopped cars - the car might be stopped for a pedestrian - slow down. • Backing up - especially from driveways or in parking lots. • Near schools, parks or places where pedestrians are typically present. • Slow down at pedestrian/bike crossings, joggers and children oftentimes appear quickly.

When driving at night - • Watch for reflective or bright clothing. • Watch for movement. • If poor visibility (low light, fog, rain), slow down.

Be watchful for children and impaired pedestrians - • Children and impaired pedestrians are unpredictable and can appear in traffic without any warning. • Children and impaired pedestrians cannot judge vehicle distances and speeds. • Blind pedestrians depend upon sound and are confused by turning movements.

Do not stop on the crosswalk area - (SDCL 32-30-6.1 & RCO 10.12.230) • Stopping on the crosswalk forces pedestrians to walk out into traffic. • Stopping on the crosswalk blocks the view for the pedestrian and other cars.

Pedestrians and blind persons have the right of way at intersections - (SDCL 32-27-1, 32-27-7 & RCO 10.36.030, 10-36-010) • Pedestrians crossing on a walk signal have the right-of-way. • Even if there is no marked crosswalk, pedestrians have the right-of-way.

Obey the speed limits! - • Speeding reduces a driver’s reaction time. • Speed is difficult for pedestrians to judge. • At 40 mph, a pedestrian has an 85% chance of being killed. At 30 mph, the chance falls to 45%.