The line had more fatalities than California's four other light rail systems combined in the six years ending with 1999, California Public Utilities Commission records show. Its designers say they spent months interviewing pedestrians until they got the graphics just right. Vijay Khawani, director of MTA Rail Safety Operations, said the agency tested signs with text and graphics and decided on the graphics because of language difficulties. The MTA blames the accidents on motorists and pedestrians who walk or drive against signals. After 10 deaths during 1999, the MTA got through 2000 with just one fatality.
Officials credit their ongoing safety campaign.
One of the steps taken by the MTA was increasing police patrols along the Blue Line under contracts with the Sheriff's Department and Los Angeles Police Department. Officers have been writing citations by the basketfuls for pedestrians and drivers caught ignoring signals. One sheriff's deputy wrote 1,898 citations alone in 2000. Also, a demonstration project using four barrier gates along the tracks at 124th Street and Willowbrook Avenue, rather than the traditional two, has proved so successful that the MTA will install them at 10 other intersections. As part of their campaign, officials have delivered safety messages to 50,000 public school students, church congregations and community groups.