LAPD Promoting Traffic Safety Around Schools

What:
News Conference

Where:
Langdon Elementary School
8817 Langdon Avenue
North Hills

When:
Wednesday, January 5, 2005
7:00 a.m.

Who:
Commander Valentino Paniccia, Operations-Valley Bureau
Captain Ronald Marbrey, Commanding Officer, Valley Traffic Division
Captain Craig Klein, California Highway Patrol
Mr. Gil Botello, Commission for Children’s Youth Representatives from Los Angeles City Council
Department of Transportation and Los Angeles Unified School District

Los Angeles: After the holidays children return to school and classes resume. The Los Angeles Police Department wants to bring  awareness to motorists of the traffic laws in effect around schools in an effort to save children’s lives.

Regrettably each year in the City of Los Angeles, many children are either injured or killed while being dropped off or picked up from school.

Year Number of Injuries and Deaths:
2001 222 injuries, six deaths
2002 95 injuries, one death
2003 164 injuries, one death
2004 41 injuries only from January through June

Safety Tips around schools will be provided during the news conference. Spanish media will be accommodated with a Spanish-speaking officer.

For further information, contact Detective William Bustos, Valley Traffic Division, at 818-756-8391.

This news advisory was prepared by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Section, at 213-485-3586.