Three vehicles were involved in a collision on PCH right in front of Duke's restaurant in Malibu around 8:40 p.m.
Two people were injured, including one described as being in critical condition with life-threatening injuries who was airlifted from the scene. The other person incurred minor injuries.
Video from the scene showed one overturned vehicle mangled so badly that firefighters had to use heavy equipment to extricate one person.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The stretch of PCH that runs through Malibu has seen extra attention in recent months since the deaths of four Pepperdine sorority sisters who were struck as they stood by the side of the road in October. Residents and activists say they have long complained about the need for safety improvements along the roadway.
One father who lost his daughter in a crash on PCH in 2010 even made a documentary on the safety issues, titled "21 Miles in Malibu."
In December, state and local authorities announced a plan to spend at least $4.2 million on safety improvements along PCH, including traffic signal synchronization.
At the time of the announcement, they said 58 people have died on the highway in the last 13 years. In the four weeks since then, there has been at least one additional fatal crash in the area in addition to a high-speed hit-and-run that ended in flames and a sheriff's deputy who was struck by an alleged DUI driver.