Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Pacific Highlands Ranch, San Diego
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 19
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 2
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 0
- fatal
- street with the most
- Carmel Valley Rd
- street with the most
Is Pacific Highlands Ranch safe to ride a bike?
This page covers traffic crashes, not crime. We don't rate neighborhoods as safe or unsafe: crash counts can't say how risky a street is, and busy streets have more crashes partly because more people use them. What the records show: 19 bike crashes were reported in Pacific Highlands Ranch from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. The most were at Carmel Valley Rd & Del Mar Heights Rd (7). 42% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 26% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
Pacific Highlands Ranch here is the City of San Diego's Pacific Highlands Ranch community planning area; its edges may differ from where residents put the neighborhood.
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Pacific Highlands Ranch
- 42% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 26% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 5% happened after dark.
- 11% were hit-and-run.
Where bike crashes cluster
Spots with 3 or more reported crashes within about 250 m, worst first.
- 017 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Carmel Valley Rd & Del Mar Heights Rd
Close passes and cars turning alongside
3 of 7 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door.
- Ride at least 4 feet from parked cars to stay out of the door zone, and watch for drivers who overtake and then turn right across you.
- 023 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Del Mar Heights Rd & Old Carmel Valley Rd
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 034 crashes
Carmel Valley Rd & Pacific Highlands Ranch Pkwy
Side-impact crashes at the junction
2 of 4 crashes were broadside: a vehicle hit at an angle, usually a driver pulling out of a side street or driveway, turning across, or running the signal.
- Slow down approaching the junction, watch drivers' front wheels at side streets and driveways, and don't assume a driver waiting to turn has seen you.
Streets with the most bike crashes in Pacific Highlands Ranch
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Carmel Valley Rd | 8 | 0 |
| Del Mar Heights Rd | 5 | 2 |
| SR-56 | 3 | 0 |
Reported bike crashes, 2021–2026, counted by the street each police report names first, so a crash at a corner counts toward one of its two streets. Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
Bike crashes in Pacific Highlands Ranch by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 1 | 1 |
Common questions about Pacific Highlands Ranch
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Pacific Highlands Ranch?
- The worst spot is Carmel Valley Rd & Del Mar Heights Rd, with 7 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are Del Mar Heights Rd & Old Carmel Valley Rd (3) and Carmel Valley Rd & Pacific Highlands Ranch Pkwy (4).
- How many cyclists were killed in Pacific Highlands Ranch?
- No deaths were reported in 19 reported bike crashes in Pacific Highlands Ranch from 2021–2026, and 2 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Pacific Highlands Ranch?
- 42% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 26% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 5% happened after dark. 11% were hit-and-run.
- How does Pacific Highlands Ranch compare with the rest of San Diego?
- Pacific Highlands Ranch had 19 of the 1,668 bike crashes on the map in San Diego, 2021–2026 (1%). That is a count, not a rate: a neighborhood with more people walking, shops and through traffic has more crashes without being riskier for each person. Pacific Highlands Ranch here is the City of San Diego's Pacific Highlands Ranch community planning area; its edges may differ from where residents put the neighborhood.
- Which streets in Pacific Highlands Ranch have the most bike crashes?
- Carmel Valley Rd (8), Del Mar Heights Rd (5), SR-56 (3), counted by the street each police report names first.
Nearby neighborhoods in San Diego
Source: California Crash Reporting System (CCRS), 2021–2026. A crash counts toward the neighborhood whose outline holds its point. 16 of the 19 crashes here had no coordinates on the report and were placed at the intersection its street names give. Reports with neither coordinates nor usable street names aren't on the map, so these numbers are lower than the real total. Busy streets show more crashes partly because more people use them. Outline: City of San Diego, Community Planning Districts. Data last rebuilt 2026-10-07. How the data works.