Palm Springs to reduce speed limits to curb collisions caused by speeding

It’s an ongoing effort by the City of Palm Springs to prevent pedestrian fatalities caused by speeding.

“Speed kills, slow down,” said Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills.

That was the main message coming from Palm Springs city leaders on Friday.

“In the last 51 months in Palm Springs, we've had 49 fatalities. on our streets, we're a small city. That's way too many people who have died and speed is a factor,” said Mayor Lisa Middleton.

In January, Assembly Bill No. 43 authored by State Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, went into effect. It gave cities more control over lowering speed limits in areas more prone to traffic safety concerns.

Before then, the legal speed limit for a street was determined by the average speed of 85% of drivers, meaning speeding drivers could set the limit.

“We don’t have to keep raising those speed limits in areas that we know are dangerous and in fact, in some area you can lower speed limits to make it safer for our pedestrians,” said. Friedman.

On Toledo Road and Laverne Way, the speed limit was reduced from 45 to 40 on Friday.

“We have individuals that are frightened to backup out of their driveway. We have more bicyclists on our roadways, we have more pedestrians, we have more runners, and yet we have been raising speed limits because of an antiquated law,” said Middleton.

Palm Springs will implement the reduction of speed limits along 36 city streets. You just have to keep an eye out for 2 bright orange flags sitting on top of those signs, indicating those speed limit signs have been reduced.

Palm Springs police say 1 in 5 injury collisions are caused by speeding. And on average, 9 fatalities a year.

By reducing the speeds, it could lower accidents by 30%.

“Remember, not only do you not want to be the fatality, you never want to be the person who was driving so fast. You couldn't get out of the way of somebody else,” said Middleton.