GREENFIELD — In response to growing concerns about distracted driving and pedestrian safety, the Greenfield Youth Council (GFYC) has launched a new initiative aimed at raising awareness among local youth and the broader community.
The effort comes as several mayors across Monterey County work to highlight the dangers of distracted driving and walking. Inspired by those efforts, the GFYC selected traffic safety as one of its action projects for the year.
The council began its work by reviewing traffic incident reports, identifying high-risk areas and conducting surveys and interviews with community members. Members plan to continue gathering feedback through youth-focused surveys to better understand traffic safety concerns affecting both pedestrians and drivers.
“The purpose of our safety patrol action project is to raise awareness about pedestrian and driver traffic safety,” said Rosalinda Hernandez, a senior at Greenfield High School and member of the Greenfield Youth Council. “With the increase in pedestrian- and driving-related accidents in Monterey County, including here in Greenfield, we want to make sure our peers understand how important it is to stay alert while crossing the street, avoid distractions, and be aware of their surroundings at all times.”
Survey results and research will help guide the creation of a six-episode mini-series titled “The Pedestrian Patrol,” which aims to educate viewers about traffic safety and encourage safer habits.
“Through this mini-series focused on different safety topics, we hope to help educate our community and encourage safer habits for everyone,” Hernandez said.
The council hopes the project will encourage young people in particular to remain aware when walking or driving.
“We want teenagers to understand that even if they have the right of way, it’s still important to stay alert while walking, because anything can happen—especially with distracted drivers on the road,” said Sarah Perea, a junior at Greenfield High School and youth council member. “We also want to remind people to be aware of their surroundings and avoid being on their phones, since distractions can lead to accidents. Overall, we hope this action project helps our peers make safer decisions when they’re walking or driving.”
Council members say the topic was chosen in part due to an increase in pedestrian- and driver-related incidents locally and throughout Monterey County.
“GFYC believes this traffic safety action project is important because of the increase in pedestrian- and driver-related accidents in Monterey County, including here in Greenfield. We want to raise awareness about this issue and help make our community safer—not just for pedestrians, but for drivers as well,” said Giselle Ibarra, a sophomore at Greenfield High School and member of the youth council.
The Greenfield Youth Council is a city program overseen by the Community Engagement Department. Its mission is to train and empower young people to become future leaders while promoting meaningful youth participation in civic life. The council focuses on issues affecting Greenfield’s youth and explores ways to strengthen youth development and civic engagement in the community.
The 2025-26 GFYC cohort includes 10 student leaders in grades 10 through 12, all from Greenfield High School.
As part of the initiative, the youth council also plans to meet with Greenfield Mayor Robert White to help amplify traffic safety messaging and coordinate with other youth councils across Monterey County to support similar efforts.
An introduction video and sneak peek trailer for “The Pedestrian Patrol” mini-series are available on the Greenfield Youth Council’s Instagram page, @greenfield_youth_council.
