Police traffic report shows zero fatalities year‑to‑date; commission agrees to quarterly collision reporting

Traffic Lieutenant Alonzo Di Velasco told the commission the department is proud to report year‑to‑date zero traffic fatalities and provided a two‑month tally of collisions and enforcement actions. He said the Feb–Mar summary showed 119 reported collisions (a two‑month dataset), with unsafe speed and DUI among the top contributing factors, an uptick in non‑injury hit‑and‑runs and several bicycle injuries. He also noted 889 enforcement/education stops in the two‑month period and said two officers completed motor academy training that will increase enforcement capacity.

Di Velasco highlighted localized concerns — speeding on Aviara Drive and near Aviara Oaks Elementary, overnight parking issues on Babylonia, and increased activity near Palomarport Road and the coast related to seasonal visitors. He announced a DUI checkpoint planned for May 31 and an e‑bike safety course scheduled for June.

Commissioners discussed whether monthly reporting produced incomplete data because collision reports can take time to close. Vice Chair Fowler and others argued that shifting to quarterly reports would allow staff to present more complete, trendable data; Commissioner Ben Sears suggested presenting rolling one‑year windows to show longer trends. A motion to change police reports to a quarterly cadence was made and seconded; the transcript records the result as "That motion passes 4 2 0 with 3 absent." Staff said the change will allow iterative improvements to how data are presented in future reports.

The commission requested staff provide any available speed survey data for specific resident requests and to bring updated, accurate datasets when quarterly reporting begins. The department will return with the first quarterly packet in three months.