Group Created to Save Lives on Pearblossom Highway

In an effort to save lives on what they say has become one of the most dangerous roadways in the county, California Highway Patrol officials Thursday announced formation of a multi-agency task force to crack down on unsafe driving on the Pearblossom Highway.

The task force will concentrate on a particularly hazardous stretch of the highway--part of California 138--between Palmdale and the San Bernardino County line. The effort will combine beefed-up CHP enforcement and road improvements with a billboard campaign urging motorists to slow down and obey traffic laws.

CHP officials said 24 people have died and more than 200 have been injured in accidents on Pearblossom Highway since Jan. 1, 1995.

Cmdr. Lynne Jones of the CHP’s Antelope Valley district said the safety campaign will employ the slogan “Stay Alert, Stay Alive.”

“Our officers will be a very visible reminder that traffic safety ultimately rests with each person who drives this highway,” Jones said. “We must remember that this is a rural, mostly two-lane highway--not a freeway--and we must all drive accordingly.”

The CHP’s increased anti-speeding efforts will include the use of a fixed-wing aircraft, several radar-equipped vehicles and additional motorcycle patrols.

“Officers will be targeting days and times when collisions most frequently occur and will proactively be looking for driving behaviors that most often cause collisions,” CHP Southern Division Cmdr. Ed Gomez said.

The additional manpower will be paid for in part by a grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety, one of several government agencies taking part in the task force.

The state transportation department, another task force participant, has scheduled major improvements for California 138 but much of the work will not be completed until 2001 or later, CHP officials said. In the meantime, Caltrans will work with the CHP to implement more immediate safety measures, such as enhancing signs and improving turnouts.

The billboard campaign will focus on the leading causes of accidents on the highway, such as driving at high speeds, right-of-way violations and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, officials said.

Antelope Valley CHP Officer Scott Weldy said many of the problems on Pearblossom Highway stem from the sheer volume of traffic, which includes a steady stream of drivers traveling between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

“You would be hard-pressed to find another two-lane state highway with that kind of volume,” Weldy said. “It represents less than 1% of our patrol area but it’s had more than 25% of our fatalities.”