Rear-end Collision and Subsequent Vehicle Intrusion Into Pedestrian Space at Certified Farmers' Market, Santa Monica, California, July 16, 2003

Book excerpt: On July 16, 2003, a 1992 Buick LeSabre was westbound on Arizona Avenue, approaching the intersection of Fourth Street, in Santa Monica, California. A 2003 Mercedes Benz S430 sedan was stopped on Arizona Avenue at the intersection for pedestrians in a crosswalk on Fourth Street. The Buick struck the Mercedes, continued through the intersection, and drove through a farmers' market, striking pedestrians and vendor displays before coming to rest. As a result of the accident, 10 people were fatally injured, and 63 people received injuries ranging form minor to serious. The Buick driver and both Mercedes occupants were uninjured. The major safety issues discussed in this report are the unintended acceleration of the accident vehicle, the adequacy of temporary traffic control measures for the protection of pedestrian traffic in the Santa Monica Certified Farmers' Market, and the need to equip motor vehicles with event data recorders.