There has been a sharp uptick in complaints about motorists not obeying stop signs in Irvine.

The greatest concern has been expressed in Woodbury, but there have also been rising concerns in other parts of the city, including Cypress Village, Woodbridge, Stonegate, Northpark and Portola Springs.

A number of Irvine residents have posted videos on youtube showing just how dangerous our streets and roads have become.  You can see them here, here, and here.

I am very concerned — as are others — that we will soon see someone seriously injured or killed because a motorist in Irvine did not obey a stop sign or respect a pedestrian’s right of way.

It has happened before: Last year a nine-year-old boy was killed in Cypress Village when his bicycle was struck by a motorist.  The year before, I friend of mine was struck by a motorist and killed in Woodbridge as he crossed the street while Trick or Treating with his young son.

The statistics are chilling: California leads the nation in pedestrian traffic deaths.

Each year, more 700 pedestrians are killed by motor vehicles in California.

In California, 23% of all motor vehicle fatalities were pedestrians — well above the national average.

The primary responsibility for protecting pedestrians belongs to motorists; all motorists must watch out for pedestrians, especially children, and obey all stop signs.

If you see a motorist failing to obey a stop sign or endangering pedestrians, take down their license plate number and contact the Irvine Police Department at 949-724-7000.  You can also call the Irvine Traffic Research and Control (ITRAC) Center at 949-724-7324.

Irvine is world-famous as a safe place to live and raise our families.

But it won’t stay that way unless all Irvine’s motorists obey the stop signs and respect pedestrians’ right-of-way.

It’s not just our reputation as America’s safest city that is on the line.

Our lives, and the lives of our children, are at stake.