Recent incident spurs demand for safer roads and stricter enforcement
By Benjamin Marcus
The Malibu Times Columnist
In the wake of the tragic incident involving Pepperdine students Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams, there may be a glimmer of hope for safer roads on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) through Malibu. While Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent approval of speed cameras in various California jurisdictions excludes Malibu, determined voices like Capt. Jennifer Seetoo of the Malib/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and The Malibu Times are steadfast in their pursuit of speed cameras for PCH. To underscore the urgency of the matter, let’s examine some key statistics that highlight the pressing need for enhanced safety measures along this notorious stretch of road.
Current Statistics
Here are some numbers surrounding and supporting the need for speed cameras on Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu.
9: Number of speed cameras allowed for a population under 300,000 under AB645.
15 years to life: Sentence handed down to Sina Khankhanian, 26, for causing the death of Emily Shane on April 3, 2010.
49: Fatalities along PCH through Malibu from 2012-22 according to the CHP.
40-55 mph: Speed limit through Malibu.
$50: Fine for 11 to 15 mph over speed limit under AB 645.
$100: Fine for 16 to 25 mph over speed limit under AB 645.
$200: Fine for 26 mph over speed limit under AB 645.
$500: Fine for 100 mph over speed limit under AB 645.
70-104 mph: Estimated/rumored/reported speed of Fraser Bohm between the traffic light at Duke’s and the 21600 block of PCH — aka Dead Man’s Curve.
2,749: Feet from the traffic light at Las Flores and PCH to 21600 PCH, aka Dead Man’s Curve.
150: American cities using speed cameras, according to foxla.com.
62/9: California Assembly ayes and noes for AB 645 on Sept. 13. Nine non-voting.
29/6: California Senate ayes and noes for AB 645 on Sept. 12. Five non-voting.
170: Deaths and serious injuries to drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians between 2011 and 2023, according to the Los Angeles Times for Oct. 27
206: Number of American communities with speed camera programs. In 21 states plus DC. According to www.iihs.org/
$367: The fine for exceeding the posted speed limit by 16-25 MPH according to California Vehicle Code 22350. Also one DMV point on your license.
$490: Fine for exceeding the posted speed limit by 25 MPH or over according to California Vehicle Code 22350. Also one point from the DMV.
400: Accidents per year along PCH according to the film “21 Miles in Malibu”
488: Speed cameras in Morocco per scdb.info
1,224: Speed cameras in Austria per scdb.info.
1,552: Speed cameras in Spain per scdb.info
1,672: Plugging “Malibu” into SWITRS Transportation Injury Mapping System, from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2022, there were 1,672 crashes, with 49 killed and 2,447 injured. Of those, 1,395 (83.4 percent) were on a state highway, with 118 pedestrians, 116 bikes, and 261 motorcycles involved.
1,680: Citations for red lights/speeding issued in Marion, Iowa, from September to October 2023 — a test case/model for Malibu
2: Red light/speed cameras at the intersection of state highways and local roads.
1: Mobile camera, used where needed, with the public alerted.
1,142: Citations for running red lights from two stationary cameras
538: Citations for excess speed from two stationary cameras
$50: Fine for 5 to 10 mph over speed limit
$75: Fine for 11 to 20 mph over speed limit
$100: Fine for 21 to 25 mph over speed limit
$250: Fine for 26 to 30 mph over speed limit
$500: Fine for 31 mph or more over speed limit
$100: Fine for running a red light
86 mph: Fastest speed recorded in a 55 mph zone..
120: Repeat violators in one month.
15: Three-time violators in one month
4: Four-time violators in one month.
1: Person received six violations within a month
$141,100: Minimum revenue from two fixed speed/red light cameras for one month = (1142 x $100) + (538 x $50)
1894: The science fiction novel “A Journey in Other Worlds,” set in the year 2000, includes a description of “instantaneous kodaks” used by police to enforce speed limits.
1905: Popular Mechanics reported on a patent for a “Time Recording Camera for Trapping Motorists.”
1929: On June 29, the Malibu segment of the Roosevelt Highway completes a highway from Canada to Mexico. California Gov. C.C. Young cut the ceremonial ribbon flanked by Miss Mexico and Miss Canada, allowing a parade of 1,500 cars to experience 21 miles of scenic beauty.
1942: Beginning in May of 1942, wartime “dim out” laws imposed by Southern California civil defense prohibited driving on PCH through Malibu with headlights on. There were injuries and deaths until the dim out laws were repealed for Halloween of 1943.
1942: Driving under “dim out” laws on June 21, John P. Underwood drove off the road — possibly near Rincon — got stuck, wandered onto PCH and was struck by Esther Dominguez, the daughter of an LAPD lieutenant who was sneaking off to visit her secret husband in Santa Barbara. Underwood was killed instantly in a hit-and-run. Dominguez was acquitted on one misdemeanor hit-and-run count and was never charged with negligent homicide.
1985: “Romancing the Stone” screenwriter Diane Thomas is killed in a Porsche driven by her boyfriend at Zuma Beach.
1986/1987: The first speed camera systems in the U.S. were in Friendswood, Texas, in 1986 and La Marque, Texas, in 1987. Neither program lasted more than a few months before public pressure forced them to be dropped.
1992: Possibly suffering a stroke, actor Ben Vereen is seriously injured when he is struck by David Foster at 2 a.m. on PCH.
2010: On April 3, 13-year-old Emily Shane was killed by an erratic, disturbed Sina Khankhanian, 28, seen traveling at 70 mph before he struck her near PCH and Heathercliff Road.
2014: In The People vs. Goldsmith, the California Supreme court affirmed the Second District Court of Appeal ruling that red light camera enforcement photographs, video, and data imprinted on them were not hearsay. In March of 2009, Carmen Goldsmith was cited for failing to stop at a red traffic light at an intersection located in the City of Inglewood in violation of Vehicle Code section 21453. She was found guilty of the traffic infraction based on evidence of several photographs and a 12-second video. Goldsmith argued that Automated Traffic Enforcement Systems (ATES) were not legal, but her argument failed.
2019: The Texas Legislature passes a law banning the use of photographic traffic enforcement systems.
2019: On Sept. 27, 76-year-old Ronald Fuote of Calabasas was killed by an eastbound Mini Cooper while attempting to run across PCH at night.
10/13/2023: AB-645 approved by Governor Newsom.
2,183: Speed cameras in the United Arab Emirates per scdb.info
2,440: Speed cameras in Sweden per scdb.info
3,000: Citations for speeding along PCH since 2019 – LASD
3,696: Speed cameras in the United States per scdb.info
4,000: Collisions along PCH in Malibu from 2013-23. Primary causes are speeding and improper turns, ccording to Caltrans.
4,013: Speed cameras in the United Kingdom per scdb.info (Statista says 7,722 as of Sept. 23)
4,770: Speed cameras installed in the U.S. — and 3,342 Red Light Camera intersections — as of 10-25-2023 according to poi-factory.com
6,183: Citations issued along PCH since 2019 by the LA County Sheriff’s Department.
8,008: Speed cameras in Italy per scdb.info (Statista says 11,098 as of Sept. 23)
13,129: Speed cameras in Brazil per scdb.info
13,232: Speed cameras in the Russian Federation per scdb.info (Statista says 18,413 by Sept. 23)
18,000: Vehicles per day average daily traffic levels (ADTL) at PCH and Decker Canyon (Caltrans 1990)
47,000: vehicles per day (ADTL) at Las Flores Canyon Road (Caltrans 1990)
52,000: Vehicles per day (ADTL) at Cross Creek Road (Caltrans 1990)
56,000: vehicles per day (ADTL) at Topanga Canyon and PCG (Caltrans 1990)
57,000: vehicles per day (ADTL) at PCH and Cross Creek Road (Caltrans 1990).
$414000 – $464000: Total cost per speed camera from one American manufacturer.
$9,000: One-time fee for connection and SIM card.
$10,000: Per site cost for permits trenching and pole installation for electricity for speed cameras.
$45,000: Cost to lease a speed camera per year.
$150,000-$200,000: One-time fee for site software for processing.
$200,000: Cost of a speed camera.
$4 million to $8 million: Bail for Fraser Bohm after his re-arrest for murder in the deaths of the four Pepperdine students.
$8 million: City of Malibu funds funds obligated towards future PCH safety improvement projects, per malibucity.org
$15 million: Cost of contract with the LA County Sheriff’s Department from the General Fund of $16.4 million dedicated to public safety, per malibucity.org
$39 million: City of Malibu money spent on traffic safety improvements on PCH, per malibucity.org
$59.2 million to $96 million: Increase in speed/red light/bus lane camera revenue in New York City from fiscal year 2012 to FY 2015.
As the numbers clearly demonstrate, the situation on Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu demands immediate attention. With a staggering 49 fatalities, 170 serious injuries, and thousands of citations issued in recent years, the urgency of implementing speed cameras cannot be overstated. From the tragic loss of young lives to the alarming number of accidents and excessive speeds recorded, the need for change is undeniable. It is our hope that these statistics serve as a wake-up call, propelling both officials and citizens to work together tirelessly to make PCH safer for everyone who travels its winding path. The time for action is now.