Clearing up crosswalk confusion, new statewide law aims to reduce pedestrian accidents

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Preventing pedestrian deaths, in Salinas we have seen several incidents involving cars hitting people. Now, a new state law is set to change parking rules. 

"Anything to increase safety is well worth it," Curt Lowensen from Salinas said.

Curt Lowensen lives in Salinas, is talking about the new state law that would change the law when it comes to cars and crosswalks. 

All cars must stay at least 20 feet away from crosswalks, a move designed to protect pedestrians and improve safety for drivers.

"I've also heard that there's been some students in front of as high school and got hit, within the last year," Lowensen said.

Following recent deadly pedestrian crashes in Salinas, "these types of laws are a step in the right direction, but they're not the end all, be all when it comes to pedestrian or driver safety," Sgt Zach Dunagan, Salinas Police Department said. "These laws, especially this one in particular, affect the visibility at the intersection."

"The issues that we have where pedestrians are being here, it's most of the time outside of crosswalks and outside of the intersections," Dunagan said.

In Salinas, while the law could improve safety it could also mean fewer parking options.

"I think that a lot of people that park downtown regularly will be frustrated by that," Alan French from Salinas said. "But I think that if they can walk a little distance, there's quite a bit of parking not that far from where they might need to go."

"If you take downtown Salinas, for example, every one of those intersections has cars almost all the way up to the intersection," Dunagan said. "All a lot of those spots are going to be open, which in turn will help with visibility and car accidents and pedestrian traffic, so it'll affect both sides."

"I think that that when there's parking too close to the crosswalk or to the corner, it's definitely harder for pedestrians to see all the cars," French said. "It's also more important it's harder for the cars to see all the vulnerabilities that might emerge."

KION checked, at least for the rest of the year warnings will be issued, starting in January, police say they will start handing out tickets.