Safety is a top priority. In 2023, L.A. saw a record number of pedestrian fatalities, with more than one every two days (179 in total).
At UCLA, most Bruins use sidewalks and crosswalks every day they are on campus. Add to that a large number of e-scooters, bicycles, and skateboards.
The most significant contributor to pedestrian fatalities is vehicle speed; the faster a vehicle is moving, the more likely a pedestrian is to be killed in a vehicle-on-pedestrian collision. Vehicle telematics have shown that many university vehicles exceeded the 20 mph speed limit.
UCLA Transportation created a dashboard report to map excessive vehicle speeds on campus, with the most significant concern being vehicles driven well over the speed limit—above 30 mph. While a few miles over the speed limit is not uncommon, concern increases as vehicle speeds rise.
The campus speed limit is 20 mph, lower than a typical city roadway, to ensure the safety of all community members. At 20 mph, a pedestrian hit by a vehicle survives 95% of the time. At 40 mph, the fatality rate jumps to 85%. Even at 30 mph, there’s just a little more than a 50/50 chance of survival.
These statistics underscore the significant impact of your driving speed on pedestrian safety. Remember, your actions on the road directly impact the safety of our campus community. Stay safe, drive safe, and please slow down while driving on campus. We will all be safer for it.
