Rancho Santa Margarita Homes & Lifestyles

Friday the 13th proves to be fatal for the passenger of a single-car incident on Live Oak Canyon Road. An investigation into the crash, which occurred shortly after 12:30 a.m., is still in process.

Residents of Rancho Santa Margarita and the Canyon Communities are well aware of the inherent risk of driving this road. The number of accidents and accident-related injuries and death is astounding.

The road itself is an open invitation for tragedy. The smooth winding curves of the narrow two-lane road are tempting to say the least; more tempting still in a car built for speed and handling. You can feel an actual rush putting the petal down and coming out of a curve cleanly. Let’s face it. Driving Live Oak Canyon at excessive speeds is exhilarating. It can also prove to be deadly.

My first experience driving Live Oak Canyon Road was in 1980 when my father was helping me fine-tune my manual transmission skills. We took his Porsche 356 SC out to the canyon and he taught me how to navigate the curves. He taught me how to respond in various situations and how to react at different speeds and how to steer into slides rather than away from them. I learned a lot of things that day but one of the most important was my dad’s advice regarding driving the canyon: the greatest dangers would be ones I couldn’t predict or control and that those were the dangers that were most likely to cause an accident.

I didn’t drive the canyon much in my teen years – I was one of the few who didn’t have my own car in high school – but I had many friends who did. I wouldn’t turn down a ride through the canyon either - risky or not. While none of my pals met with tragedy on Live Oak Canyon, more than a few of them mangled their cars and ended up temporarily losing their driving privileges.

I have a 20 year old son who drives Live Oak Canyon on occasion. For a while there he was doing it regularly. I worried about it incessantly. I think most parents in our community do. We hear the stories time and time again. Fortunately my son got over his zest for canyon driving when one of his best friends totaled his SUV in Holy Jim Canyon. Fortunately there were no mortal injuries, but it hit home with my son and as a result he has a little more respect for the dangers of the road.

When I heard about today’s tragic accident I felt and immediate and overwhelming heartache for the parents and family of the deceased passenger, for the driver who lost a friend, and for the family of the driver who will likely be effected by this tragedy. The memorials are stacking up along Live Oak Canyon Road and have been for some time.

Reminding all of our loved ones – especially our teenage drivers – of the dangers and possible consequences of driving through the canyons needs to be a priority. As a community we need to speak up and make sure our children truly understand the risks that they take driving Live Oak Canyon, as well as the risks that they impose on others.

My heart and prayers go out to the families involved in today’s tragedy. It’s my fervent prayer that others will learn and take heed of the dangers present on Live Oak Canyon Road and that through awareness and responsible behavior that the number of auto fatalities will diminish.

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