I narrowly avoided becoming involved in a head-on collision recently on Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon Road, north of Piuma, resulting in one fatality [Dec. 29]. I was behind a small truck and was entering up a grade into a curve when an SUV coming from the opposite direction suddenly crossed the double yellow causing this head-on collision. This area is located at the bottom of an approximate five percent plus grade which turns approximately 120 degrees in a relatively short distance, causing a reduced visibility.
I have since visited this curve area again, and noticed that vehicle traffic appears to be going faster than the allowable speed limit as a result of going down this grade.
I am not an expert in traffic engineering, but it seems that a relatively simple immediate fix would be to place yellow paddles on the double yellow, in this curve area, giving an advanced visual cue warning of this approaching curve.
Another relatively simple fix would be to place rumble strips, up the grade at a 90 degree angle to and across vehicle traffic, giving advanced audio cue warning of this approaching curve.
Another more aggressive and expensive fix would be to place bolted-down concrete k-rails, on this double yellow curve area, which would tend to deflect vehicles back into the correct lane, preventing head on collisions.
Alan Ruzicka