Despite Promises to Reduce Them, Deadly Crashes Persist in This US City

Despite promises to reduce traffic-related fatalities, Long Beach continues to face deadly crashes. In 2025, over 50 fatal collisions occurred, mainly involving pedestrians and cyclists. Despite new safety measures and community advocacy, the city struggles to meet its 2026 goal of zero deaths.

Long Beach, a coastal city in Los Angeles County, is renowned for its waterfront attractions and vibrant cultural events. From the graceful kitesurfers at Belmont Shore to the annual Dragon Boat Festival, the city’s energy pulses with excitement. However, beneath the lively atmosphere, a growing concern over road safety lingers. Despite numerous commitments from local officials to reduce traffic-related fatalities, the streets of Long Beach continue to claim lives, as evidenced by recent statistics and incidents.

The city, known for its cultural landmarks such as the Queen Mary, finds itself grappling with a concerning rise in traffic deaths. In 2025, more than 50 fatal collisions occurred, with the majority involving pedestrians, cyclists, or scooter riders. Although Long Beach is not ranked among the most hazardous driving cities like Boston or Los Angeles, these deaths paint a troubling picture of a city struggling to keep its residents safe on the road.

The year 2026 began with disturbing incidents, including a tragic crash involving a Tesla in January that left a storefront destroyed and two people dead. The aftermath of this crash, coupled with the arrest of a woman in connection with two separate fatalities in October and January, has heightened concerns among local residents and officials alike. These incidents point to a pattern of danger that affects both drivers and vulnerable road users.

In response to the rising fatalities, the Long Beach City Council set a bold goal in 2016: to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from traffic accidents by 2026. However, the city is falling short of this objective, as 2025 witnessed a surge in fatal crashes, surpassing even the darkest years of the past decade. Despite the council’s promises, the tragic reality of preventable deaths continues to unfold on the city’s streets.

The surge in fatalities has been attributed to a mix of factors, including speeding, poor road conditions, and the lack of adequate infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. In 2025, 32 of the 53 fatal crashes involved vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists, or scooter riders. As a result, the city has faced increasing pressure from residents and advocacy groups to take more aggressive action to improve road safety.

Community organizations and local neighborhood associations have been vocal in pushing for changes to make the streets safer. Proposals have included improving street lighting, implementing delayed green lights for pedestrian safety, and adding speed bumps to slow down traffic. These measures, while practical, have been seen by some as insufficient given the gravity of the problem. The Long Beach Public Works Department has emphasized that minor adjustments are not enough and that a more comprehensive approach is needed to address the root causes of traffic fatalities.

In response, the city has begun implementing more substantial measures aimed at improving road safety. A significant project completed in 2025, costing $44.2 million, focused on enhancing safety on Artesia Boulevard. The project added bike lanes, crosswalks, and other safety features to better protect pedestrians and cyclists. This marked the beginning of a broader effort to address traffic flow and reduce accidents across the city.

Despite these efforts, skepticism remains among residents about the effectiveness of the changes. In early 2026, speed limits were lowered on several streets, but the response has been lukewarm. Speed cameras are also planned for installation later in the year to enforce these new limits. However, data from the Long Beach Post reveals that the number of speeding tickets issued in 2024 was nearly 1,000 fewer than in 2023, highlighting challenges in enforcement.

Community members, however, have remained determined in their advocacy for better road safety. Jesus Esparza, the head of a local neighborhood association, has consistently communicated with city officials, urging them to take swift action to protect pedestrians and cyclists. As residents continue to demand change, there is a fragile optimism that the ongoing efforts will lead to a safer environment for everyone on the road.

While the city works to implement these changes, the gap between the promises of a safer Long Beach and the tragic reality of preventable traffic deaths remains wide. The growing number of fatalities serves as a stark reminder of the urgency required to address the city's road safety crisis. As 2026 progresses, the residents of Long Beach remain hopeful that their city will fulfill its promise of safer streets, but time will tell if these efforts will be enough to prevent further loss of life.

Sources:

• Long Beach vowed to eliminate deadly crashes; instead, they're the highest in over a decade
• Long Beach vowed to eliminate deadly crashes
• Car crashes into Long Beach shop as traffic violence surpasses homicides
• This US City Continues To Rack Up Deadly Crashes After Promising To End Them