Los Angeles traffic fatalities climb as police vehicle stops plunge 57% since pandemic
Traffic deaths in Los Angeles now outpace homicides, while LAPD traffic stops have fallen 57% since 2019, prompting the city to rely on speed cameras and road redesigns.
Los Angeles now records more traffic-related deaths than homicides, a trend driven by a 29% increase in overall crash fatalities and a 54% surge in pedestrian deaths since 2016, with yearly totals staying above 300. LAPD vehicle stops have slashed by 57%, falling from about 713,000 in 2019 to roughly 308,000 in 2025, especially in Central, West Valley, 77th Street and Southeast divisions. The city is deploying 125 speed cameras in high-risk zones and redesigning streets to force slower driving, while the Police Commission awaits two inspector-general audits before tightening pull-over policies.
Union leaders and the department chief contend that curbing stops hampers crime control, whereas reform groups cite persistent racial disparities in pretext stops. Despite fewer minor-accident dispatches, traffic citations rose 44% year-over-year to over 14,600 as of July, and officers continue to target dangerous violations such as illegal turns and impaired driving.
Why it matters
Rising crash deaths and shrinking police traffic enforcement raise urgent questions about public safety and policing reforms in LA.
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