Overview
Long Beach, a coastal city famed for the Queen Mary, kite‑surfing, and the Dragon Boat Festival, is also grappling with a growing road‑safety problem. Although it did not appear on Allstate’s 2025 list of most dangerous driving cities, the city logged more than 50 fatal traffic collisions last year.
Fatality Statistics
In 2025 the Long Beach Post recorded 53 fatal crashes, 32 of which involved pedestrians, cyclists or scooter riders. Early 2026 has already seen high‑profile incidents, including a Tesla crash into a coffee shop and a hit‑and‑run that killed two people.
City Initiatives
The Long Beach City Council pledged in 2016 to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2026. Recent actions include:
- Completion of a $44.2 million project on Artesia Boulevard that added bike lanes, new crosswalks, and other safety features.
- Vote to lower speed limits on numerous streets in early 2026.
- Plan to install speed cameras later this year.
Public Works officials argue that simple fixes like speed humps are insufficient and emphasize comprehensive speed‑management strategies.
Community Concerns
Residents, led by neighborhood association head Jesus Esparza, are urging additional measures such as better street lighting, delayed green lights for pedestrians, and more speed‑calming infrastructure. Skepticism remains because speeding tickets issued dropped by nearly 1,000 between 2023 and 2024, suggesting enforcement may be lacking.
Some community members have taken matters into their own hands by leaving reflective vests on street corners to protect pedestrians at crosswalks.
Looking Ahead
The effectiveness of speed‑limit reductions and upcoming speed cameras will be closely watched. Until enforcement improves, the city’s fatality rate may continue to outpace the 2026 zero‑death goal.