In response to a deadly vehicle accident that resulted in the death of three people in Westwood, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky Friday called for immediate action to place safety measures in the area to prevent another tragedy from happening.
Yaroslavsky, who represents the Fifth Council District, which includes Westwood, on Friday adjourned the City Council meeting in the memory of the victims of the accident. She added, “My heart is with the victims, their families and everyone who witnessed what happened.”
The councilwoman called on immediate, quick-build safety measures while longer-term work continues to improve the safety of Westwood Boulevard.
“We shouldn’t be waiting years for basic interventions while Angelenos die,” Yaroslavsky said.
She described the issue as citywide, which must be addressed.
The councilwoman said the incident occurred around noon on Westwood Boulevard and Rochester Avenue. A driver struck a cyclist and then crashed into a 99 Ranch Market.
Authorities do not believe the crash was intentional, according to Yaroslavsky.
“But we should be clear that this was not an accident. When the streets are designed in a way where one moment of error turns into a mass-casualty event, that’s a failure of our system to protect the public,” Yaroslavsky said.
She emphasized that the City Council’s constituents are asking a basic question of them all: “Why does it feel like safety improvements take forever, even after we know where the risks are?”
The councilwoman noted the city has a process underway to make Westwood Boulevard safer. Her office secured funding for the project because they knew improvements were needed.
In light of the tragedy, Yaroslavsky requested a review of the Department of Transportation’s timeline for the Westwood Boulevard Safety and Mobility Project.
LADOT’s timeline shows years of work — scoping, planning and construction — that is not expected until 2027, according to the councilwoman. She called the timeline as “unacceptable” for one of the busiest corridors in the city.
“Funding isn’t enough if the delivery timeline stretches into half a decade, and I know we all have these projects in our own districts that we’re just wishing would have been built 10 years ago,” Yaroslavsky said.
The city can have meaningful community engagement and still move faster on street safety measures, Yaroslavsky added.
Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement following the vehicle crash Thursday thanking the city’s first responders, who acted immediately and rendered critical aid. She directed the Mayor’s Crisis Response team to offer support and resources, as well.
In January, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell touted the 2025 homicide rate was the lowest in six decades.
A total of 230 homicides were reported in 2025 compared to 284 homicides in 2024, representing a 19% decrease. The number of shooting victims declined from 981 in 2024 to 899 in 2025, representing a 8% decrease.
However, he also reported a total of 290 fatal traffic collisions in 2025, representing a 6% decrease from the prior year. That figure also marked the third year in a row in which traffic-related fatalities exceeded homicides.
Street safety advocates have criticized the City Council and Mayor Karen Bass for their failures in reducing vehicle-related deaths.
Street safety advocates have said there are several tools available to improve L.A.’s streets — but without the political will to implement and enforce them, more tragedy is likely to follow.