Tuesday at approximately 4:30 p.m., Malibu residents Steve Halpern, 61, and his mother Belle, 90, were killed in a single vehicle accident on Malibu's Kanan Dume Rd. According to Sergeant John Skikas of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station, the crash happened near tunnel one on Kanan Dume Rd.
The CHP is investigating the cause of the collision. Preliminary investigation indicates that the driver of a Jaguar lost control and crashed into the side of a mountain.
Witnesses reported that two people were trapped inside the Jaguar. One of the accident victims was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center. It is not yet clear whether the son or his mother was driving the car.
Kanan Dume's southbound lanes were diverted for approximately 45 minutes while the vehicle wreckage, which was strewn across the highway, was cleaned up.
Since soon after it opened in 1974, Kanan Dume Rd. has been no stranger to accidents. With its steep grades and banking curves, it is considered to be one of the most dangerous roads in California. It has been the subject of many lawsuits filed by car and truck crash victims. While county officials blame drivers for ignoring safety rules, motorists claim the highway was poorly designed and built.
Safety upgrades have been made over the years, including the construction of a guardrail and passing lanes, the placement of warning signs, and the ordering of weight limits and use of radar.
The Santa Monica personal injury lawyers at McGee Lerer and Associates are familiar with the dangers posed by Kanan Dume Rd. and have represented several different Kanan Dume Rd. accident victims. If you have been injured in a car, truck or motorcycle accident on Kanan Dume Rd., call our office for a free consultation.