Local law enforcement is asking drivers to be more vigilant on the road

The Feast of Lanterns wrapped up with a closing ceremony Sunday, topping off the more than one-hundred-year-old tradition that celebrates the history and culture of Pacific Grove.

“It’s kind of a chance to just relax after the big pageant last night,” said Caroline Evans, Feast of Lanterns Queen Topaz. “The Hootenanny Folk Song group is here and so we all have a sing along.”

Event coordinators said the festival brought out about 10,000 thousand locals and tourists. Events this summer like the Feast of Lanterns are big draws for the Central Coast. Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce told KION they have nearly Five million visitors per year.

“My husband and I have come here quite a bit,” said tourist Christina Wellborn. “So we thought we’d bring the kids, this is kind of their first trip down here.”

With more tourists comes more traffic.

“The added tourists, the added visitors, it does increase the amount of cars out on the road,” said Sgt. Jeff Fenton with Pacific Grove Police. “There are some parts of the peninsula where we get gridlocked.”

The California Highway Patrol told KION the increased volume of cars correlate with an increase in citations, hazards, DUI’s and collisions. Illegal turns and speeding are big problems.

“Sixty-five Miles per hour on the freeway, if that’s what it’s posted, then that’s the speed that you travel,” said Fenton.

Police also said distracted driving is an issue, but it’s not just from cell phones.

“Our coastline, Carmel’s coastline, the open parts of Hwy 1 towards Big Sur, that’s a huge distraction,” said Fenton. “So as much as it’s beautiful to see, the driver needs to maintain their attention to the roadway and what they’re doing.”

Local agencies are also asking people to watch out for things like broken down vehicles, debris and pedestrians, and to also keep a buffer between them and other cars.

“Keep a safe distance behind the car that you’re following so that you have enough time to react to what they’re reacting to,” said Fenton.

Police also recommend drivers get enough sleep before heading home so they’re awake and alert on the road.