It’s been just over a year since a college student died after falling over a cliff in Isla Vista. Benny Schurmer’s death prompted a new push to make the scenic, yet dangerous cliffs safer.
The accident shook the community. Yet, it’s not a new problem. More than a dozen people have died from falls off Isla Vista’s cliffs in the last three decades.
Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps started a new safety campaign in the wake of the 19-year-old’s death.
"We've made huge progress," said Capps. "We've raised fence heights, we put in lighting, we put in better planting so that there's less ability to jump over fences. Some property owners have raised their own fence heights. We've done education, and we're working on a memorial, all trying to make Isla Vista safer."
Capps said with the annual turnover in students, the education part of the safety campaign is never ending. Alcohol and drug use have been a part of some of the accidents over the years, so education about the dangerous bluffs is key.