Civic Duty Helps Fund a Documentary About One of the Most Dangerous Highways in America
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) July 27, 2013 -- On the evening of April 3, 2010, thirteen year old Emily Shane was walking home along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California. From the opposite direction came a car speeding out of control. Behind the wheel was a suicidal, aggressive driver who was angry, frustrated and acting out his personal and emotional problems. Emily was struck and killed in a horrifying accident. One year ago, the driver Sina Khankhanian was convicted of murder and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
An exquisite scenic drive, Pacific Coast Highway is also one of the most deadly. The highway's a top kill-zone for traffic in the United States. Although Malibu only has thirteen thousand residents, its accident rate resembles a city with a population in the hundreds of thousands.
The problem is getting worse.
During a four-month time frame in 2010, eight people were killed along a five-mile stretch in the beach-side enclave. Rescue sirens commingle with crashing waves on a daily basis. They remind residents the idyllic drive through paradise is deadly. Now one year after the tragic death of Emily Shane, Civic Duty will help fund a documentary film on Kickstarter.com.
The film explores why so many people are killed in Malibu on Pacific Coast Highway. It addresses why this horrific reality isn't rectified. The film exposes obsolete road infrastructure and insufficient traffic regulation. It examines Malibu's nuances— an internationally recognized hub for surfing and cycling— and its particular safety hazards.
The film will highlight the family and friends of those who've lost their lives on PCH— including Emily Shane's. PCH will also share perspectives from sheriff’s deputies, tow truck drivers, cabbies, and others who've experienced first-hand carnage on the road. It will include interviews with celebrities who have been involved in accidents on the highway.
However, PCH is not a litany of sorrow. It will not only identify problems but will explore substantive measures to make the road safer. Engineers, traffic experts, and law enforcement officials— including L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca and Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol Mr. Joseph A. Farrow— will provide solutions.
A Department of Transportation report finds in 2010 that 4,280 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States, and another 70,000 pedestrians were injured. This averages to one crash-related pedestrian death every two hours, and a pedestrian injury every 8 minutes.
Yet these are just abstract statistics. Emily Rose Shane was a compassionate and generous soul. To honor her memory, Civic Duty will make a donation to help fund PCH. Civic Duty is honored to join the efforts of a grassroots coalition of Malibu residents that formed in the wake of Emily Shane’s death. This group dedicates itself to getting answers that will stick.
Civic Duty (http://www.civicduty.org) is dedicated to mankind’s search for meaning and promotes the values of its founders, philanthropists Julian Omidi and his brother Dr. Michael Omidi. The charity’s mission is to inspire creative outreach, community service, and volunteerism through the stories of every-day people who are making an extraordinary difference in the world. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works for the welfare of his fellow men.” To get involved and help make a difference, send us a message using the website’s Contact Us function. More information about Civic Duty can be found on Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and Twitter.
Media Relations, Civic Duty, http://www.civicduty.org, 855-330-5600, [email protected]
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