LA Traffic Deaths Rise as LAPD Traffic Stops Plunge
LA traffic deaths continue to rise even as police enforcement of traffic violations has fallen by more than half, according to recent data.
Traffic risks remain high across Los Angeles, including Koreatown, prompting renewed calls for stronger enforcement and improvements to street safety infrastructure.
According to traffic collision statistics released by the Los Angeles Police Department on Aug. 27, a total of 187 people were killed in traffic crashes in Los Angeles between Jan. 1 and Aug. 15 this year. That represents a 5% increase from 178 deaths during the same period last year.
Injury crashes also increased by about 7%, from 971 to 1,043, while bicycle-related injury crashes surged 37% to 144.
LA Traffic Deaths Raise Concerns in Koreatown
One of the most notable trouble spots was the intersection of Vermont Avenue and 6th Street in Koreatown.
The intersection recorded 13 traffic collisions during the period, the highest number within the LAPD’s West Bureau. Unsafe turning was identified as the leading cause of crashes there.
While crashes have been increasing, LAPD traffic enforcement has moved sharply in the opposite direction.
The Los Angeles Times reported Sept. 1 that LAPD vehicle stops fell 57% over six years, from about 713,000 in 2019 to approximately 308,000 last year.
Staffing Shortages and Changes in LAPD Enforcement
The decline in vehicle stops has been attributed in part to chronic staffing shortages and changes in LAPD enforcement policies.
The department has said its ongoing personnel shortage has limited the resources available for traffic enforcement.
Another factor is the LAPD’s move to restrict so-called “pretext stops” beginning in 2022. The practice had faced criticism over concerns that Black and Latino motorists were disproportionately targeted.
A pretext stop occurs when officers pull over a driver for a relatively minor traffic violation and then investigate whether the driver may be involved in other criminal activity.
Koreatown Residents Describe Growing Safety Concerns
Residents say dangerous driving remains a daily concern in Koreatown.
Jae-eun Lee, 30, a Koreatown resident, said drivers routinely run red lights and make right turns without properly checking for pedestrians.
“Even after the light turns red, many cars just keep going, and a lot of drivers make right turns without really looking for pedestrians,” Lee said. “Not long ago, I saw a pedestrian nearly get hit while crossing the street.”
Koreatown resident Joy Song expressed similar concerns, particularly about driving conditions at night.
“There are so many cars speeding or driving aggressively at night that even when I have the walk signal, I wait until I can actually see that the cars have come to a complete stop before crossing,” Song said.
Dangerous Intersections Remain a Longstanding Problem
Pedestrian safety has been a persistent problem in Koreatown for years.
The intersection of Vermont Avenue and 3rd Street, which the Korea Daily reviewed last year, was classified at the time as the most dangerous intersection within the LAPD’s West Bureau.
Joseph Cho, an employee at a nearby gas station, said the street’s physical layout contributes to the danger.
“The road slopes downhill, so there are a lot of speeding cars, and collisions involving pedestrians happen frequently,” Cho said.
Vision Zero Falls Short of Its Goal
Los Angeles launched its Vision Zero initiative in 2015 with the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities.
The city has invested roughly $350 million in the program, including efforts aimed at making streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
More than a decade later, however, that goal remains unmet, while LA traffic deaths and dangerous driving continue to raise concerns among residents across the city.
