Redondo Beach About Town
Redondo Beach Police to crack down on cell phone use, ‘distracted driving’
The Redondo Beach Police Department is joining a statewide effort to drill down on distracted driving and cell-phone use by stepping up enforcement in April.
According to a press release issued by RBPD, officers will place an emphasis on enforcing cell phone and distracted driving laws this month.
“The goal is to increase voluntary compliance by drivers, but sometimes citations are necessary for motorists to better understand the importance of driving distractions,” the release said.
Law enforcement agencies across the state will especially enforce distracted driving laws on April 5 and April 13.
“Smartphones are part of everyone’s lives now. Texting, phone calls and posting on social media are nearly addicting,” RBPD Chief Keith Kauffman said. “But doing these things can have deadly consequences while driving on our city’s street. Changing these dangerous habits will help make our roadways safer for everyone.”
Redondo Beach will deploy extra traffic officers in areas with higher numbers of traffic collisions. Redondo’s most trafficked streets, including Pacific Coast Highway, Prospect Avenue, and Artesia Boulevard. The increased enforcement is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.
RBPD recommends that drivers pull over if they must read or send text messages, encourage passengers to be “designated texters,” and — if all else fails – to place their devices in their trunk or backseat.
LA Metro to hold Green Line Extension meetings
LA Metro is planning a series of regional community meetings to discuss its Green Line Extension project, which would continue the existing rail line from North Redondo Beach to Torrance.
The meetings will address alternatives to proposed routes, including options that would include a stop along either the eastern or western bounds of the South Bay Galleria.
On April 19, Metro will hold a meeting at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, from 6 to 8 p.m. Meetings have also been planned for Lawndale’s Leuzinger High School Auditorium, 4118 W. Rosecrans Ave, from 6 to 8 p.m. on April 17, and at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center’s Toyota Meeting Hall, 3330 Civic Center Dr., on April 26 from 6 to 8 p.m.