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Carlsbad police report zero traffic fatalities year-to-date; e-motorcycle enforcement stepped up
Summary
Traffic Lieutenant Alonzo de Velasco told the Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission that quarter-over-quarter data show zero fatal collisions year-to-date, fewer overall collisions, and continued emphasis on unsafe speed and DUI enforcement; staff outlined targeted e-motorcycle enforcement and upcoming education and checkpoint plans.
Traffic Lieutenant Alonzo de Velasco told the Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission that Carlsbad recorded zero fatal collisions year-to-date, a significant decline compared with prior years, and fewer collisions overall in the second quarter compared with the first.
"We have had 0 fatality collisions year to date, which is unprecedented," De Velasco said, and attributed improvements to “education, enforcement, and engineering.” He reported nine fewer collisions in quarter 2 than quarter 1 and four fewer major-injury accidents.
De Velasco said unsafe speed remains the top primary collision factor across the city and that DUI-related collisions declined by six in quarter 2 versus quarter 1. He described enforcement efforts including multi-agency operations and proactive officer-initiated arrests: "We have 32 motor officers from various agencies assist with traffic enforcement... 201 citations were issued along with 14 warnings and 6 ebike related citations," he said.
The lieutenant highlighted a recent detail focused on unregistered motor e-motorcycles—vehicles he described as "like dirt bikes" without pedals that cannot be operated legally on public streets without meeting DMV requirements. He said four such e-motorcycles were towed during an enforcement detail and that additional operations are planned.
Commissioners asked for clarification about which agencies participated in the multi-agency efforts; De Velasco listed Escondido, the sheriff's department, Oceanside, Coronado, National City and La Mesa. Commissioners also requested that staff report, in the next quarterly update, the number of written warnings issued specifically under the new daylighting/parking enforcement (when enforcement begins) and the number of warnings tied to the new violations if available.
De Velasco said the department plans continued saturation enforcement, an e-bike safety course in August, and a DUI checkpoint in early September, and reiterated that the department will emphasize both enforcement and public education going forward.
Next procedural step: staff will include enforcement counts and any warnings issued for newly enforceable parking/crosswalk rules in future quarterly reporting as requested by the commission.
