Campus joining in city’s traffic safety campaign

In an effort to reduce the number of traffic-related crashes and injuries, UC Santa Cruz is supporting the City of Santa Cruz’s new traffic safety campaign.

Street Smarts is a public education campaign that intends to improve the roadway behavior of drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians—everyone who uses Santa Cruz roadways. Banners have gone up across town. Posters will be included in campus loop shuttles and incorporated into public service announcements.

A kick-off event open to the public will be from 3–6 p.m. Sept. 13 at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Santa Cruz Warriors mascot Mav’Riks, UC Santa Cruz’s Sammy the Slug, and California Highway Patrol’s Chipmunk Chipper will lead young and old in activities that underscore safe rules of the road. There will be 15 booths with interactive games, bike valet service, a bike safety obstacle course, and one free raffle ticket per person for prizes including Southwest round-trip air tickets, new bikes, free car service, walking shoes, reflective gear, and more.

Street Smarts targets traffic-related problems such as speeding and distracted driving. Important messages to bring attention to the city’s most vulnerable road users are posted on banners in front of elementary and middle schools, on street poles, buses and city vehicles. Messages are also being delivered in print and through television and radio broadcast and social media.

For more information including free yard signs and bumper stickers available to all City of Santa Cruz residents in English or Spanish, please visit www.cityofsantacruz.com/StreetSmarts.