Gov. Newsom signs bill authorizing speed cameras on PCH in Malibu

MALIBU, Calif. (CNS) -- As the one-year anniversary of a fatal crash involving four Pepperdine University students in Malibu nears, Gov. Gavin Newsom Friday signed legislation authorizing speed cameras to be installed at five locations along Pacific Coast Highway.

Newsom signed Senate Bill 1297, authored by Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, and co-authored by Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, to place speed feedback signs and automated speed cameras on the 21-mile stretch of road that will fine speeding drivers.

Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, and Sen. Henry Stern, D-Los Angeles, also sponsored the measure.

The law goes into effect in January 2025.

Allen said in a statement that the installation of the cameras can help curb reckless speeding -- an issue this stretch of highway has been "plagued with for years."

The parents of five students struck and killed on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu filed lawsuits against several agencies and municipalities.

Meanwhile, Irwin noted some $4.2 million has already been spent on safety improvements on PCH, and with the passage of the bill, it will serve as an additional component to save lives.

"We are incredibly grateful to Gov. Newsom for signing this life- saving bill into law," Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart said in a statement. "SB 1297 is a major victory for public safety in Malibu, and it brings us one step closer to making PCH safer for everyone who travels through our city."

L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, a supporter of the bill, called the signing a victory that resulted from an "all-hands-on-deck" action.

"More roadway safety improvements and public education for the region are underway," Horvath said in a statement. "This kind of action happens when we don't allow the boundaries of government to become barriers for action."

The bill was introduced in February, some four months after the deaths of the four Pepperdine students -- Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams. The students, who were all 20 or 21 years old, were killed on the night of Oct. 17, 2023, when a driver who was allegedly speeding west on PCH slammed into several parked cars on the north shoulder of the roadway. Sheriff's officials said those parked cars struck the four women, killing them at the scene.

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The driver, Fraser Michael Bohm, 22, was charged with four counts of murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Parents of the four Pepperdine students, who died, as well as fifth student who was injured filed lawsuits against the state, Caltrans, the California Coastal Commission, Los Angeles County and Malibu on Sept. 17.

The separately filed Santa Monica Superior Court lawsuits contend that all of the entities share liability for the allegedly dangerous roadway design on that portion of PCH and for not implementing live-saving safety measures.

The tragedy prompted widespread calls for increased safety along the stretch of PCH, with an emphasis on slowing down speeding drivers. Measures have also included infrastructure improvements, enhanced enforcement and community outreach.

Last year, the city of Malibu declared a local emergency to address dangerous, illegal, reckless and distracted driving on PCH.

"As we mark the one-year anniversary of this tragic event, we remain dedicated to doing everything we can to improve safety and will continue collaborating with Caltrans, law enforcement, and other partners to achieve these goals," Malibu's mayor said.

In January, Malibu officials partnered with the California Highway Patrol to establish a task force with three officers dedicated to PCH enforcement. Officials said these combined efforts with support from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department led to a 36% reduction in injury collisions on PCH.

Caltrans later announced in the spring its Malibu Makeover project to provide more than $50 million in state and city investments for safety improvement's to PCH infrastructure.

As a next step, the city of Malibu is expected to develop and present an implementation plan to the City Council, outlining the process for deploying the speed cameras and ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements.