Glendale pedestrian safety effort yields 28 citations

Police cited more than two dozen motorists Wednesday during an undercover operation aimed at those who failed to stop for pedestrians.

Twenty-eight motorists received citations mostly for reportedly failing to stop for a Glendale police officer, who went undercover as he walked in an unmarked crosswalk at the intersection of Pacific Avenue and Hawthorne Street.

They also made two additional arrests — one for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and the other for driving without a valid license.

Glendale Police Chief Robert Castro said the operation was just one component of the city’s plan to improve traffic safety.

Castro plans to launch a campaign to get the community talking about traffic safety and look at what improvements can be made.

Much like successful campaigns aimed at educating the public of the dangers of drunk driving and not wearing a seat belt, Castro said the key to enhancing traffic safety in Glendale is changing the way people think about their walking and driving habits.

Pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, he said, need to be consistently educated on proper safety techniques.

“The best tool we have is rallying the community and getting the community’s support,” he said.

The undercover operation comes days after Glendale had its first pedestrian-involved fatality this year.

Abram Mehrabian, 86, of Glendale was struck and killed Monday by a vehicle on Western Avenue near Glenoaks Boulevard, police said.

Police said Mehrabian was in the crosswalk when he was struck.

The driver, a 54-year-old man, remained at the crash scene as police investigated the incident.

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Follow Veronica Rocha on Google+ and on Twitter: @VeronicaRochaLA.

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