By Lookout Staff
June 30, 2026 -- Santa Monica police will boost patrols starting this month in an effort to crack down on speeding drivers, officials announced Monday.
The additional officers on patrol will be "looking for drivers who are speeding or driving too fast for conditions," police said.
Officials noted that the 2025 California Traffic Safety Survey found that "speeding remains a leading factor in deadly crashes and is consistently the top safety concern among surveyed California drivers."
"Even small increases in speed reduce the time drivers have to react and significantly increases the force of a crash. Slowing down is a simple, effective way to prevent tragedies on our roads," officials said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 11,288 people died from speeding-related crashes in the U.S. in 2024, the latest data available.
Speeding-related crashes accounted for 29 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2024. In California alone, 1,139 people were killed in speeding-related crashes that year.
Police officials advise rivers to plan ahead and allow extra travel time; follow posted speed limits, especially in school and work zones, and drive at a speed that is safe for the surrounding conditions.
Drivers also should adjust their speed for changing weather, traffic and road conditions and avoid aggressive driving behaviors like tailgating or weaving through traffic.
"Crashes have severe and lasting consequences, and slowing down is one of the most important actions you can take to keep everyone using roads safe," police officials said.
"By taking precautions and driving at safe speeds, we can make sure everyone in the community reaches their destination safely."
The City Council in 2024 voted to lower the speed Traffic on more than 30 miles of streets across Santa Monica in an effort to curb fatal and serious injury crashes.
The new speed limits were implemented last year on 47 stretches of boulevards, major cross streets and near schools.
The project involved replacing 150 signs along 33 miles of roadway, with most new speed limits reflecting a reduction of five miles per hour, according to transportation officials.
The changes are based on recommendations in the City’s 2024 Engineering and Traffic Survey and a new State law that gives cities greater flexibility in determining speed limits, officials said.