By Jennifer Burbridge

Seattle Police SW Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator

As we head into the winter months in the West Seattle area- when we have less and less daylight, the SW Precinct wanted to make sure that we provided our community with very important traffic safety information. When we lose daylight, pedestrian and cyclists can become harder to see, and as such- one of the most important traffic safety tips for drivers is PAY ATTENTION! 

Seattle Department of Transportation’s Vision Zero program is Seattle’s plan to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030. What if each of us asked ourselves: what would be an acceptable number of traffic deaths for my family? The answer would be zero. You wouldn’t even think twice about it. Now take that to the next level- what’s an acceptable number for your neighborhood? Or for your city? 

While Seattle is one of the safest cities in the country, we still see more than 10,000 crashes a year, resulting in an average of 20 people losing their lives and over 150 people seriously injured. These are our friends, neighbors, and family members. The thing is, traffic collisions aren’t accidents- they are preventable through smarter street design, traffic enforcement, and thoughtful public engagement. Together we can make Seattle’s streets safer for everyone! To learn more about the Vision Zero program, please visit the Seattle Department of Transportation’s website- https://www.seattle.gov/visionzero

Some important driver awareness safety tips include: pay attention to and abide by all speed limits, watch your speed when entering school zones (speeding in a school zone is a $234 ticket), be watchful around schools and bus stops for children running into the street, watch for children entering the street from behind buses or running to catch a bus especially in the early morning and early evening, keep in mind that pedestrians have the right of way in all intersections- whether in a marked crosswalk or not, always look and yield for pedestrians when making turns at intersections, always pull to the right and slow or stop to allow emergency vehicles to go by (emergency vehicles will have red and/or blue lights), do not drive with distractions (cell phone, eating, drinking, putting on make-up, etc.)- using a cellphone while driving is a $136 ticket- unless it is hand-free, do not allow passengers to interfere with your driving, be aware of weather conditions, know your surroundings and always have ample driving time- try not to be in a rush- a patient driver is a safe driver. Also, make sure to be extra cautious after dark, as sight lines may be limited. 

As we enter the holiday season, more SPD resources will be dedicated to traffic safety- which includes Driving Under the Influence prevention and enforcement. If adult beverages are a part of your holiday celebrations, please plan ahead to have a designated driver or an alternate plan for getting home safely. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is illegal and extremely unsafe for you as well other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists on our roadways. 

Below you will find my contact information, including email and phone numbers. Keep an eye out for my newsletter next month, which will again focus on a specific crime/safety issue and include important prevention techniques. Please feel free to contact me with questions, concerns, to request my presence at a future meeting and/or if you are interested in free firearm cable locks.

Email address: Jennifer.Burbridge@seattle.gov

Desk phone number: (206) 256-6820

Work cell phone number: (206) 471-2849

Upcoming events in SW Precinct-

• South Park Community Resource Fair
  • Saturday November 4th, 10am- 2pm, at the South Park Community Center (8319 8th Ave S)
• West Seattle Crime Prevention Council Meeting
  • Tuesday November 21st, 7pm- 8:30pm, at the SW Precinct (2300 SW Webster St)

Other resources-

• Seattle Police Department’s Website: http://www.seattle.gov/police/
• Seattle Police Department Non-Emergency Number: (206) 625-5011
• Contact information for other SPD Crime Prevention Coordinators: 
  • North Precinct- Mary Amberg- Mary.Amberg@seattle.gov
  • East Precinct- Felicia Cross- Felicia.Cross@seattle.gov
  • West Precinct- 
  • South Precinct- Mark Solomon- Mark.Solomon@seattle.gov