SACRAMENTO, CA – The California State Senate today passed a resolution by Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) declaring February 2022 as Speed Safety Awareness Month in California.

Senate Resolution 60 encourages all residents and community organizations in the state to support efforts to reduce speeding and to be aware that it is a major problem for all people in California.

“Driving fast on local roads can be deadly, especially for our children and their parents walking to school,” said Senator Rubio. “A recent study found that nearly 50 percent of cars are driving 11 miles per hour or higher above the speed limit in school zones. When I was a Vice Principal, I had to handle traffic at my school because it was so dangerous. Parents and children would struggle to walk safely as cars sped by in the school zone, and one year a student was struck by a car and killed. Deaths like this don’t need to happen if communities emphasize the importance of safe driving and speed limits are enforced.”

“The importance of managing speed especially when vulnerable road users are present, like pedestrians, cyclists and especially kids, cannot be overstated,” said Damian Kevitt, Executive Director of Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers alike. “Senator Rubio’s leadership on speeding awareness and efforts to protect all road users is deeply appreciated. My hope is that this resolution will bring even more attention to this ever increasing public health crisis and the need to address it through legislation and a safe systems approach to traffic safety.”

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a dramatic increase in dangerous driving and speeding cars throughout the state. Data gathered by the California Highway Patrol indicates the number of drivers speeding over 100 miles per hour on the state’s highways nearly doubled between 2019 and 2020.

Senator Susan Rubio represents Senate District 22. For more information, visit https://sd22.senate.ca.gov/

#

Media Contact: Edward Barrera, edward.barrera@sen.ca.gov