Another Fatality on Pacific Coast Highway on Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, SAFE was alerted by our connection with the LA County Sheriff's station near Malibu that a motorcyclist collided with an SUV that was slowly backing out of a driveway onto Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). The collision happened at about 6:00 p.m. in the 33400 block of PCH, just south of Leo Carillo State Beach. The motorcyclist was reportedly not speeding. Yet, even at the legal speed, the motorcyclist didn’t have the time to evade a vehicle simply backing out of a driveway into fast-moving traffic. The result was the motorcyclist’s untimely death. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the fallen motorcyclist. We are also thinking about the driver, who was probably traumatized by the death they had just brought about. It appears from the data on hand that the driver of the SUV was “at fault,” but it is clear that the fatality happened because of the deadly design of the Pacific Coast Highway in that area. 

The latest fatality happened shortly after a show put on by California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin and other state transportation officials in a press conference about safety enhancements for the 21-mile highway weaving through Malibu. 

At this press conference on Monday, 18 December, officials announced the green light for a (paltry) $4.2 million contract, enabling Caltrans to move forward with a roster of 30 upgrades. These enhancements encompass improved striping on curves, optical speed bars (strips spaced at gradually decreasing distances to make drivers aware of their speed), speed feedback signs, pavement markings for speed limits, and the replacement of safety signs. 

While the welcomed enhancements bring improvements, these relatively minor changes don’t address the fundamental issue: speed limits along PCH remain too high. A necessary step to enhance safety and save lives is to reduce the current speed limit of 45 miles per hour, which is frequently exceeded by 10-20 mph by many drivers.

The latest fatality on PCH in Malibu, barely two months after the loss of 4 Pepperdine students on 17 October, underscores the challenges of having a highway coursing through areas with residential and business structures, highlighting the potential for tragic consequences. 

Until significant changes occur, Streets Are For Everyone will persist in advocating for more impactful measures.