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Big Sur deaths during Car Week expose tensions between overtourism and community safety

Confirmed1 source · Sep 5, 2026

Two fatal traffic accidents during Monterey Car Week in August have crystallized local concerns about dangerous visitor behavior and the unsustainability of mass tourism on California's remote coastline.

Big Sur deaths during Car Week expose tensions between overtourism and community safety
Image via The Guardian

What happened

On the final weekend of Monterey Car Week in mid-August, a 20-year-old driver of a Dodge Challenger struck and killed Brian Roberts, a local resident known as Brewski, on Highway 1 in Big Sur. Accounts differ on the circumstances—some witnesses say Roberts was crossing the road to view the sunset, while others report he was in the roadway objecting to Car Week attendees blocking nearby roads. The following day, another 20-year-old driver from the San Francisco area crashed a silver BMW convertible into a tree, killing one passenger and injuring two others. Police reported the BMW driver had a blood alcohol level of 0.13, above the legal limit, and are investigating the death as gross vehicular manslaughter.

Context

Big Sur's Highway 1 reopened in early 2024 after three years of closure due to landslides, immediately triggering a surge in tourist visitation that had declined sharply during the closure period. The reopening coincided with a marked shift in visitor behavior, with many travelers focusing primarily on taking photographs at specific iconic locations rather than traditional nature-based activities. The August Car Week event, which draws approximately 100,000 visitors, saw attendees using Highway 1 for high-speed driving, performing donuts at intersections, and blocking traffic for group photographs. The Timber fire was raging during this period. The incident underscores tensions between the tourism industry, which accounts for approximately 90% of the local economy, and residents' concerns about safety and environmental sustainability. Local officials and residents have explicitly warned that the current volume and character of visitation is incompatible with the capacity and safety of the infrastructure and landscape.

What's disputed

The exact circumstances of Brian Roberts' death are contested—whether he was crossing Highway 1 to view the sunset or was in the roadway objecting to vehicle traffic blocking access to his residence.