The city of Malibu joined state and local leaders, law enforcement, and community members in commemorating the second anniversary of the crash that killed four Pepperdine University students on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). The event, held Friday, October 17, underscored both the tragedy’s lasting impact and the significant progress made toward improving safety along the notoriously dangerous coastal roadway.
Following a morning press conference, attendees gathered for a solemn remembrance at the ghost tires memorial to honor the lives of Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams, who were struck and killed by a speeding driver on October 17, 2023.
“This community was forever changed by the loss of four bright young women whose lives were full of promise,” said Malibu Councilmember Doug Stewart. “That day became a turning point. Malibu has been united in one purpose — to make PCH safer for everyone.”
Since the 2023 tragedy, city, county, and state agencies have launched a coordinated effort to reduce collisions, slow traffic, and improve road design. Among the most notable changes:
- Automated Speed Cameras: Under Senate Bill 1297, co-authored by Senator Ben Allen and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, Malibu is set to install up to 10 automated speed cameras at high-risk PCH locations by early 2026.
- Increased Enforcement: The California Highway Patrol resumed PCH patrols for the first time since Malibu’s incorporation, joining Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department units in a campaign that has reduced injury collisions by 22%. Combined, the agencies issued more than 11,000 citations in 2024–25.
- Infrastructure Improvements: Caltrans implemented $4.2 million in short-term safety upgrades—new lane separators, clearer striping, and additional warning signs—and launched a PCH Master Plan feasibility study to identify long-term redesign options.
- Signal Synchronization Project: Malibu completed a $34.6 million project linking traffic signals from Topanga Canyon Boulevard to John Tyler Drive, designed to prevent speeding and improve emergency response times.
- Public Safety Campaigns: The city and state agencies launched an awareness campaign—“You Speed. You Pay. Go Safely PCH.”—with billboards, social media messaging, and roadside signage.
According to data from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, collisions on Malibu streets dropped from 357 in 2024 to 154 so far in 2025, a roughly 50% decrease. No traffic fatalities have been reported in Malibu this year, so far.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said the decline is promising but noted that “every life lost to traffic violence is one too many. Every empty chair reminds us what is at stake.”
Speakers at the event included family members of the victims, safety advocates, and officials from Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol, and Pepperdine University.
Among them was Michel Shane, co-founder of the Emily Shane Foundation and creator of The Empty Chair Club campaign. “The hardest seat to fill is the one left empty,” Shane said. “Their memory deserves more than our sadness — it demands action.”
Advocates Damian Kevitt of Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE) and Shane announced a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for a permanent memorial at Point Dume honoring the four students.
For more information about Malibu’s ongoing PCH safety initiatives, visit MalibuCity.org/PCHsafety
