CHICK PUSHES TRAFFIC SAFETY STRATEGY.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

Despite a drop in traffic fatalities in Los Angeles, Councilwoman Laura Chick proposed a series of measures Tuesday to further reduce serious crashes, which she said represent a ``rising threat to public safety.''

Chick submitted three motions to the City Council that she said would improve the response of police officers, city attorneys and public works officials to traffic safety problems.

``With hundreds losing their lives annually in traffic accidents, the city needs to get smarter and more effective about how we assure safety on our roads,'' said Chick, who chairs the council's Public Safety Committee.

LAPD officials say traffic fatalities in Los Angeles declined from 219 in 1996 to 209 last year. Still, Chick said the city can do more to reduce crashes.

One motion would include traffic enforcement in the LAPD's FASTRAC program, in which police command officers meet regularly to analyze crime statistics, identify problem locations and draft strategies for reducing the problems.

Under Chick's proposal, the LAPD would set specific goals for reducing traffic crashes that result in fatalities and serious injuries.

In addition, she is proposing that the LAPD work with officials of the city's Transportation, Planning and Engineering departments to develop the strategy.

Chick also was upset that it took 30 months to install signs and do road repairs at the site of a crash that resulted in the city paying $750,000 to settle a lawsuit.

The councilwoman proposed that the Bureau of Street Maintenance create a task force and communication network to make sure that repairs are swiftly made when the city is warned about traffic hazards.

The third motion would create a team of litigation investigators that will visit the scenes of serious crashes so that important evidence is collected and preserved. The city has paid $27 million to settle lawsuits involving crashes during the past two years, Chick said.

``City taxpayers deserve nothing less than our best defense,'' she said.