Malibu’s Deadly Highway: A father’s quest for change

By Michel Shane

Columnist

My name is Michel Shane, and I want to bring attention to the safety of our community. I’m a filmmaker and a father, and I’ve witnessed both the best and worst of Malibu. This column won’t focus on politics but on the safety and future of our community. Picture living on a road that feels like a ticking time bomb — that’s our reality. Get ready for a bumpy ride.

In 2010, my life changed forever. My youngest daughter, Emily, was killed on PCH by a reckless driver. Suddenly, I was no longer just a storyteller, but a man with a mission. I became acutely aware of the dangers of PCH and found myself advocating for change. How could such a wealthy community be so unsafe? We presume our homes are secure, but that’s an illusion. When death intrudes in your life, you realize how little control you truly have. Your plans may not align with your life. In that moment, everything changes.

Malibu is a dangerous place, not because of crime, but due to the lack of safety measures on our main road — a highway that runs through the heart of our town. I’ve experienced this first-hand. I was rear-ended while driving. When I got out ofthe car, the other driver thought I would be aggressive, but I asked calmly how they wanted to handle the situation. They never forgot that experience. Sure, I was angry and it was a hassle, but does that really matter? The deed is done.

Since Emily’s death, 60 more lives have been lost on PCH. I’m not here to mourn but to explain why I refuse to be silenced. Change is long overdue. That’s why I made a film, “21 Miles in Malibu,” a documentary showcasing our home’s breathtaking beauty and the stark reality of our main road. The film delves into the history of PCH, its current state, and the stories of those who have lost their lives on it. I thought the film would be my way of making a statement, but it started winning awards. I hoped that would grab people’s attention. But attention isn’t enough — we need action.

Tragedy struck again when a reckless driver killed four Pepperdine seniors. That’s when our community realized we were living in a war zone. Changes had to be made, but bureaucracy slowed us down for eight months. It took a disaster on the 10 freeway, a major highway in California, that led to an immediate fix because it was an important roadway, fixes in just four days. Why can’t we treat PCH with the same urgency? The road hasn’t changed much since the ’50s. Caltrans, in charge since the ’70s, is a slow-moving agency focusing more on traffic flow than safety. They must join the 21st century and use available tools to make PCH safer. But we can’t wait for them. It’s up to us to force change, especially with upcoming elections. The time for excuses is over.

We need to change attitudes. We’ve glorified speed for too long, thanks to movies like the “The Fast and the Furious” franchise and video games that make dangerous driving look cool. It’s hard to combat that, especially with young minds still developing. The brain’s rational part, the prefrontal cortex, fully develops at age 26. That means impulses often win over sound judgment. But we can teach better choices through education. We’ve done it before with other dangerous behaviors that were once accepted but are now frowned upon. We need to do the same with speeding and reckless driving. We owe it to ourselves, our kids, and the memories of those we’ve lost.

The neuroscience is clear: our brains are wired to respond to threats with a fight or flight response. When we’re behind the wheel, that means flooring it. But we need to teach young drivers to override that instinct. We need to make safe driving cool. We must create public campaigns that emphasize the consequences of reckless driving. We must use technology to encourage better habits, like apps that track and reward safe driving. We also need to hold Caltrans accountable for making our roads safer. Silence is consent — it’s time to speak up.

PCH is a microcosm of a larger problem, and we need to address it directly. If we can fix PCH in Malibu, we may have found a way to make crucial societal changes. But I’m not just talking about Malibu — I’m talking about every community plagued by dangerous roads and reckless driving.

This column is only the beginning. I’ll be diving into the issues plaguing PCH and our community. I’ll make you think, question everything, and even entertain you along the way. If you want to get in touch and share a story, thought, or comment, please email me at 21milesinmalibu@gmail.com. Together, we can make a difference. But I need your help. Share this column with everyone you know. Let’s start a conversation that can’t be ignored.

Stay tuned —it’s going to be an exciting ride. Our lives depend on it, and the clock is ticking. The question is, what will we do with the time we have left?

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