Wilshire Blvd. Accidents: A Look Back

On Monday, we published a report about yet another traffic-related incident on Wilshire Blvd. This time, two pedestrians using the crosswalk at the intersection of Wilshire and 16th were seriously injured after being struck by vehicle.

In the wake of that incident, Santa Monica Patch readers have since expressed renewed concern about Wilshire Blvd., where many accidents have occurred in recent months.

"I continue to be very discouraged by the lack of basic traffic law enforcement in both Los Angeles and Santa Monica," reader wrote. "If drivers knew their flagrant abuse of rules of the road would be penalized, there'd be a change in their driving behaviors."

Reader also chimed in, saying, "Traffic enforcement ought to install a belly mirror(s) or some type of sensor that flashes bright red in that particular situation. ... The crosswalk waiting zones on Wilshire is a good start."

Reader said he's seen police officers "run through intersections" while on their cell phones. Santa Monica Patch columnist posed the question: "How many more people need to be run over in this town before we get serious about enforcing pedestrian rights of way at crosswalks and taming automobile speeds where crossings exist?"

The Monday accident is one of many to have occurred on Wilshire Blvd. in recent memory. In late June, a recent UCLA graduate was killed after being hit by a taxi near (2400 block).

On Dec. 23, another crash happened at the intersection of Wilshire and 14th when a 66-year-old Santa Monica resident who was using the crosswalk was killed by a vehicle. That had been the city's since Dec. 15, 2009.

Another collision happened on the morning of Feb. 12, also on Wilshire, east of 20th. Twenty-three-year-old Anupam Sanyal, who was also a Santa Monica resident, died when his car slammed into a palm tree after a drag race.

Look above to see images from some of the accidents that have occurred on Wilshire Blvd. in recent months.