After the city of Malibu and Caltrans held a public workshop this week to make Pacific Coast Highway safer, a father whose daughter was killed on PCH said more needs to done faster to address the problem.
Barry Stewart's daughter, Peyton, was one of the four Pepperdine University students who were struck and killed by a driver as the young women were walking along PCH.
“My daughter was a 21-year-old with her whole future, very bright future ahead of her, as did her classmates,” Stewart said.
The LA County District Attorney said the driver, who hit the women, was driving 104 miles per hour before the deadly crash – one of many on PCH.
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According to Caltrans data, between 2018 and 2023 there were 537 crashes with 779 injuries and 23 deaths.
As potential improvements are in the words, comments from the workshop this week will contribute to a federally-funded study that’s looking into potential solutions like landscaped medians, more sidewalks, paved shoulders and turn lanes.
But for grieving parents like Stewart, the delivery of the solutions could not come sooner.
“I'd say it's a baby step and it's necessary, but much more needs to be done,” Stewart said. “It seems senseless that her that their lives be snuffed out and nothing good come of it."
Stewart believes the speed limit needs to go down while speed cameras need to go up.
“I've been working with the city of Malibu to get legislation for speed cameras, so that enforcement can be made more efficient,” Stewart added. “I just scratched my head and say, 'Why is this so difficult? What is more important than saving innocent people's lives when these kind of incidents are very preventable?'”
Stewart said he wants more people to be engaged in the effort to make PCH safe, so no other parent would go through what he went through.
"If your loved one is killed or maimed on the road there by a blatantly reckless driver, you'll take it real seriously after it happens. Take it seriously before it happens," he urged.
Caltrans said, once the study is done by the end of the year, the state will start applying for funding before eventually start working on safety improvements.
