By: Roseville Police Department

Each year in the United States almost a thousand cyclists are killed due to falls from their bikes or from collisions with a vehicle. Thousands more are injured. There are several ways you can reduce the chances of this happening to you, your children, or grandchildren.

✔️  Wear a helmet.

Never ride your bicycle without a helmet. Wearing a bicycle helmet is not only smart--it's required by law if you're under age 18. Vehicle Code Section 21212 prohibits persons under 18 from riding or being a passenger on a bicycle without wearing helmets meeting specified standards (ANSI or SNELL).  Learn how to select and properly fit a bike helmet on the City website and search for “Bike Safety Tips.” 

✔️  Be prepared before you ride.

• Make sure the bike you’re riding fits you. If the bike is too big, it’s harder to control.
• Make sure the bike, especially the brakes, works properly.
• In addition to your helmet, wear bright clothes to be easily visible. If riding at night or during poor visibility, wear reflective clothing and have a working white light at front and red rear light along with reflectors on your bike.
• Ride with both hands on the handlebars, unless giving a turn signal.
• If you’re carrying items on your bike with you, keep them in a backpack, or strapped to the back of the bike.
• If wearing shoes with laces or long pants, make sure to tuck in the laces and put your pant legs inside your socks to ensure they don’t get caught in your bike chain.
• Plan the route you’re going to take. Choose road routes with less traffic and slower speeds. Always use a bike path if available, but if not, always stay in the bike lane where marked.

✔️  Reduce your risk of being involved in accidents.

There are two main categories of biking accidents. The most common is falling from your bike as a result of going too fast, misjudging a bend, or not seeing an obstacle that you hit. All of these may be avoided by slowing down and focusing on what is ahead of you.

The other common cause of bike accidents, and usually the more serious, is crashes with cars. In this category, failing to yield the right of way is the primary cause, followed by cyclists not being easily visible.

Some obvious rules to follow are:

• Ride in the same direction as traffic.
• Obey street signs, traffic signals and road markings, as you would when driving a car.
• Always assume other road users don’t see you.
• Look out for road hazards that might make you fall like stones, potholes, gaps in rail tracks and drainage grates.
• Remove all distractions. No texting, listening to music or anything else that distracts you by taking your focus off the road and traffic.

Riding a bicycle is fun and a great form of exercise for all ages.  Just remember to review these safety tips before you head out on your ride. 

Distracted driving impacts our roadways

By:  Rob Baquera, Public Information Officer, Roseville Police Department

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the latest data on distracted driving reveals:

• More than 400,000 motorists were injured in accidents caused by distracted driving and 2,800 deaths occurred as a result.
• Drivers reported being distracted 30% more often than when asked a year before.
• Distracted driving spikes at night between 6:00 pm and 11:00 pm.
• Distracted driving was a reported factor in 8.1% of fatal motor vehicle crashes.
• 42% of high school students in the U.S. admitted that they text or email while driving.
• Roughly 20% of injuries occurring in car accident crashes involve distracted driving.
• Drivers are distracted by their phones at least 10% of their driving time.

A ringing cell phone, fighting kids, or a spilling coffee cup: no one is immune from distractions. The average car weighs around 5000 pounds. When you mix distractions and a vehicle traveling down the road, you get distracted driving. Distracted driving can occur when something diverts your attention from the task of safe and attentive driving.

According to the Center for Disease Control – Injury Center, there are three primary types of distractions:

Mental or cognitive – when a driver’s mind is focused on something besides driving. These can include talking to another passenger, thinking about something that is upsetting, road rage, daydreaming, or being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

Visual – when a driver looks at something other than what is ahead on the road. These can include looking for items on the floor of the car, checking and adjusting your GPS, changing the radio station, adjusting your temperature controls, taking in the view, or doing your makeup, and, of course, texting or dialing on your cellphone.

Manual – when one or both hands are taken off the wheel. These can include eating and drinking, adjusting your child's seatbelt, smoking, searching through your purse or wallet, or turning knobs in your car.

There are things you can do to ensure you are driving as safely as possible. Here are some simple ways to minimize driving distractions:

• Keep your eyes on the road.
• Pull over to read directions.
• Put your phone in “Do Not Disturb” mode.
• Keep your phone out of reach.
• Make all adjustments before driving.
• Don’t reach for items while driving.
• Avoid phone calls, even hands-free.
• Stay focused on the road.
• Keep your emotions in check.

Distracted driving is a major cause of car-related injuries. Complacency can be a huge factor. Many accidents happen near or around your home due to your familiarity with the surroundings. Do your best to stay focused on the task of driving safely and you will be able to respond more quickly, be better positioned to think clearly when needing to respond, and likely spot a distraction before it becomes a problem.

Home Repair Scams

By:  Rob Baquera, Public Information Officer, Roseville Police Department

Did recent winter storms blow down your fence, cause your roof to leak, or flood your home?  Are you just getting ready to get started on some overdo projects around the house as spring is here?  Whether you are planning on performing some routine maintenance on your home, need storm damage repair, or plan on hiring someone you don’t know, there are scam artists out there who will try to take advantage of you.

There are several ways scammers advertise and try to take advantage of people. Here are some ways scammers will try to get your money:

• Solicit at your door or randomly call you offering to fix a problem you didn’t know you had.
• Advertise that they can fix roof leaks, install windows, or furnish your roof with solar panels for a low price…but you must act now.
• Pressure you to make a quick decision or offer to provide financing.
• Demand all or a large down payment and then never complete the work.
• Do sloppy work or make the situation worse – then stop responding to you or disappear.
• Say they have material left over from a previous job that they will sell you cheaply, if you commit today.

Steps you can take to protect yourself and your home:

• Ask solicitors, vendors, or contractors for references, and license and insurance information.
• Confirm a Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registration or contractor’s license is valid and current by searching the Department of Consumer Affairs Contractors State License Board: https://www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/CheckLicense.aspx
• Try to get written estimates from three different companies/contractors – this helps to make sure the pricing offered is within a standard range.
• Take time to make an educated decision.
• Do not pay by cash, direct wire transfer, or load funds onto gift cards.
• If hired, try to make sure the contract clearly states the services being provided, the materials to be used, and estimated time of completion.
• Never pay more than 10% deposit. That’s the legal max allowed in CA.

If at any time, you believe you have been scammed, please contact the Roseville Police Department to file a crime report or on the Roseville Police Department website: https://www.roseville.ca.us/government/departments/police_department.  

By:  Rob Baquera, Public Information Officer, Roseville Police Department 

Winter, without a doubt, is the most dangerous season for driving. Snow, fog, ice and strong winds can all cause hazardous driving conditions. Preparing yourself, and your vehicle, before heading out onto the roads is key to arriving safely to your next destination.

Prepare your vehicle before you travel

Lower outdoor temperatures lead to lower tire pressure. Ensure that your tires, including your spare, are at the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure. If you don’t know what that is, it’s usually on a label on the driver’s side door frame. It’s best to check tire pressure when the vehicle is cold. (It has not been driven for at least 3 hours.)

Also, check the status of your tires at least monthly, as well as before each major road trip. The tread depth should be at least 1/16th of an inch, and the tread and the side walls should be free of any cuts, bulges or cracks. Make sure to also check your spare tire. If you find any damage, take your vehicle to a professional for evaluation.

On a regular basis, check your vehicle:

• Batteries, along with the charging system, to make sure they’re operating efficiently.
• Lights- headlights, turn signals, brake lights, emergency indicators and even interior lights- are all operating.
• Fluids, make sure that you have enough engine coolant in your system, and your windshield fluid reservoir is topped up.
• And… make sure your gas tank is full and be cautious when it drops below 50% full. For electric vehicles, make sure they are fully charged. Always have a plan for where you can recharge them on your journey.

Prepare yourself and your family

It's a good idea to carry jumper cables and a flashlight in your trunk, along with flares or other kinds of emergency markers in case of a breakdown.

If you’re likely to encounter snow or ice, pack a snow shovel, broom and ice scraper. Inside the vehicle take blankets, a cell phone, car charger, water, food and any prescription medications.

Prepare your route

Check the weather forecast for your journey. If it looks bad, think about delaying until the weather improves, or going before the worst weather hits.

Make sure you let someone know what route you’re taking and when you expect to arrive. Call them when you do arrive.

Your driving style

Driving conditions are likely to be more dangerous. Leave a good gap between you and the vehicle in front. Avoid sudden acceleration, especially when pulling away from a stop. This will reduce the risk for wheel-spin especially on ice and after rain.

Most of all, SLOW DOWN! In poor conditions, speed is never your friend.

Safe charitable giving during the holidays

By:  Rob Baquera, Public Information Officer, Roseville Police Department

The holiday season is traditionally a season for giving. Many of us are thinking about those less fortunate than we are. Others are looking to take advantage of tax breaks before the year end. Whatever the reason, to help to make sure you have a positive outcome, be aware, scammers are very active this time of year.

Charity scams appear in various shapes and sizes:

Online giving

There’s been a lot growth in online scamming over the past year, many bad-actors are purporting to be charities requesting donations. Even if you recognize a respected charity name, don’t assume the request is really coming from them. Take a close look at the name of the sender. Does it really show an email address pertaining to that charity? Charity webmails usually end in “.org”. If not, it is probably a scam. Don’t click on or open any links on these messages. Doing so may give the sender access to personal information on your computer and in some cases gives the sender control over your computer.

Unsolicited phone calls

Phone scamming continues to increase. It’s estimated over 59 million US residents lost money from a phone scam in 2021. Legitimate charities rarely make random calls for donations. The easy way to avoid scam calls is to just not answer calls if you don’t recognize the caller. Most of these calls are automated (Robocalls) and never leave a voicemail. Never call a phone number back if they don’t leave a legitimate message.

House calls and street collectors

It’s relatively easy for scammers to go door to door pretending to be collecting for a charity. Some even have fake IDs they show you, knowing that you don’t easily have the capability to check if the ID is valid or not. To help deter door to door scammers, post a “No Soliciting” sign on or near your front door. The same advice exists when you’re out around town and someone is collecting on the sidewalk. Even if they have a compelling story or a legitimate sounding charity, if you’re not sure, don’t donate.

Tips to follow:

• Don’t let any charity rush or pressure you into making a donation, of any kind.
• Look for specifics regarding how your donation will be used.
• Confirm that the charity or organization is legitimate and is a non-profit organization listed with the FTC (www.consumer.ftc.gov/).
• Avoid sweepstakes claiming to exchange winnings for a donation; that’s both a scam and illegal.

Some sites to use to search for legitimate and registered charities or non-profit organizations are:

• BBB Wise Giving Alliance http://www.give.org/
• Charity Navigator http://www.charitynavigator.org/
• CharityWatch http://www.charitywatch.org/
• Guidestar http://www.guidestar.org/

Taking time to ask questions, gather information, and verify an organization’s non-profit status can help make sure that your generous giving will truly go to those that need help. It can also help ensure that your personal information is protected and not compromised by scammers looking for easy targets. If you believe you have been the victim or have had your personal information jeopardized, please contact the Roseville Police Department or file a crime report online.