Malibu Law Enforcement Increasing PCH Patrols for Summer

By Staff Writer

As the community prepares to welcome millions of visitors who come to enjoy Malibu’s world-famous beaches, mountains and scenery, the City and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at Malibu Lost Hills Station prepare to roll out the annual Summer Beach Team program, bringing additional patrols to keep our beaches and roads safe this summer.

“Malibu is proud to welcome visitors from near and far to our beautiful beaches and one of the nation’s greatest scenic highways,” said Mayor Jefferson “Zuma Jay” Wagner. “We are the stewards of this unique place and it is up to us to keep it safe, clean and beautiful for residents and visitors alike.”

Every year from Memorial Day weekend until after Labor Day, the Sheriff’s Beach Team includes special quads and trucks that patrol on the beaches. A primary focus of the Beach Team is to eliminate the consumption of alcohol at the beaches, which results in a significant reduction in the number of assaults, rescues made by Lifeguards, and injury accidents on the highways.

This summer, the Malibu Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station will also deploy extra vehicle and motorcycle patrols in Malibu to keep traffic moving, quickly address traffic collisions, and ensure road safety. The Sheriffs will also deploy bicycle patrols around the Civic Center area to address traffic issues and other concerns.  

The Sheriffs will provide heavy enforcement to focus on safety issues and violations by pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

Pedestrians

Vehicles must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. Pedestrians have a duty to care for their own safety. They may not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and move into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to be an immediate hazard. No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk.

Bicyclists

Cyclists must stop at all red lights and stop signs. Vehicles must maintain at least three feet space while passing cyclists in the same direction on a highway.

Motorists

There is a zero-tolerance policy for driving under the influence of any controlled substance that impairs the ability to safely operate a vehicle. Deputies will focus on speeding, impeding traffic while waiting to pick up or drop off passengers, waiting for a parking space or waiting to get into a full parking lot, and distracted drivers using handheld cellphones, texting or taking pictures.

Parking

Vehicles will be towed if they are parked in “No Parking, Tow Away” zones, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, where they obstruct the normal movement of traffic, or in a way that creates a hazard to other traffic.

To contact the Malibu Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station for non-emergency matters, call 310-456-6652. To report drunk drivers or other emergencies, call 911. 

To help remind pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and residents, both visitors and residents, to help keep Malibu’s roads and beaches safe all summer long, the City will be posting safety messages on social media with the hashtag #SafeSummer.

The City offers traffic and emergency alerts by text message and email. To sign up to receive alerts, visit www.MalibuCity.org/News, scroll down to “Alert Center,” and choose “Traffic Alerts” and “Emergency Alerts.”