This week, two State Senate bills relating to safety on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) made progress on the Assembly Floor. Both bills aim to enhance road safety and reduce speeding-related incidents in the community.

Senate Bill 1297, authored by Westside State Senator Ben Allen, co-authored by State Senator Henry Stern, and Assembly Members Berman, Davies, and Irwin, would establish five-speed safety systems along Malibu’s 21 miles of PCH. The cameras, operated by the Department of Transportation, will record vehicles exceeding the posted speed limit, and issue citations to those offenders.

“Far too often, Malibu is devastated by fatal car accidents on the Pacific Coast Highway. Senator Henry Stern and I advanced legislation to discourage speeding and hold dangerous drivers accountable. My SB 1297 will allow a speed safety camera pilot program on PCH in Malibu,” Senator Allen said in April. “Many of you know the wide-open and winding Pacific Coast Highway. It’s one of the most famous and picturesque roadways in the world. It draws millions of visitors to the small beach city of Malibu every year, but every couple of months the community is devastated by yet another fatal traffic accident with all sorts of serious crashes and near misses.”

During the first 60 days of enforcement under the program, the Department of Transportation would issue warning notices rather than notices of violation for any violation detected by the speed safety system, and any vehicle traveling 11 miles to 15 miles over the posted speed limit will be sent a warning. Cameras would take photographs of the license plate and rear view of the vehicle instead of photographs of the driver.

Fines for speeding would begin at fifty dollars for anyone driving at a speed of 11 to 15 miles per hour over the posted speed limit and one hundred dollars for driving at a speed of 16 to 25 miles per hour over the posted speed limit; two hundred dollars for driving at a speed of 26 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit, and five hundred dollars for driving at a speed of 100 miles per hour or more.

Each camera would have a mounted sign identifying the presence of the speed safety system reading “Photo Enforced,” along with the speed limit signs with flashing beacons and radar speed signs placed within 500 feet of the system.  Some of the locations being looked into are Tuna Canyon, Carbon Beach, Latigo Canyon, Morning View, and Decker Canyon.

The other bill, SB 1509, authored by Senator Stern, and co-authored by Senators Allen, Niello, Seyarto, and Umberg, as well as Assembly Members Berman, Davies, and Irwin, aims to make convictions for driving 26 miles per hour over the speed limit a two-point driver’s license violation on certain roads, including PCH and would put drivers at greater risk of losing their license. The measure aims to discourage reckless driving and enhance accountability among motorists.

“SB 1509 represents a vital step forward in ensuring the safety of our roadways,” said Senator Stern. “By holding negligent drivers accountable for their actions, we can prevent unnecessary loss of life and make our streets safer for all Californians.”

SB 1509 prohibits excessive speeding by issuing citations for those driving 26 miles over the posted speed limit on a highway with a posted speed limit for passenger vehicles of 55 miles per hour or less.

Traffic collisions in the County of Los Angeles resulting in serious injury to pedestrians were up by almost 28 percent, and serious injury to bicyclists was up by almost 18 percent from the serious injuries reported in the prior year.

The first violation would be a fine of one hundred dollars. For a second infraction occurring within one year of a prior infraction that resulted in a conviction, fines would be two hundred dollars. Fines for a third or subsequent infraction occurring within one year of two or more prior infractions that resulted in convictions, a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars.

According to data from the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station Enforcement Report, from January 2024 to April 2024 there were a total of:

• Total collisions – 70
• Fatal traffic collisions -0
• Total number of fatalities – 0
• Injury traffic collisions – 24
• Property damage-only traffic collisions – 46
• Total number of people injured in collisions – 35
• Total traffic citations issued – 1,793

According to crash data from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, there were 127 property damage collisions, 93 injury collisions, and seven deaths in the City of Malibu. Since 2010, 59 people have been killed in vehicle accidents along PCH in Malibu.

Both bills will go for a third reading today for approval before going to Governor Newsom’s desk for his signature.

Photo by Ed-Ni-Photo on iStockphoto.com