Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in Chico, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 158
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 53
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 12
- fatal
- street with the most
- Esplanade
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1Esplanade & East Ave12 crashes · 3 serious or fatalPeople hit crossing mid-block
- 28th St & Broadway St7 crashes · 5 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 4 of 7, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- 3Nord Ave & Sacramento Ave9 crashes · 3 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 6 of 9, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Is Chico safe to walk?
This page covers traffic crashes, not crime. We don't rate cities 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: 158 pedestrian crashes were reported in Chico from 2021–2026, 53 of them serious or fatal (12 fatal). The most were at Esplanade & East Ave (12). 32% involved a driver turning, 19% turning left. 42% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in Chico
- 32% involved a driver turning, 19% turning left.
- 42% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 27% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 49% happened after dark.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in Chico
- 49% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 3% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 34% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- 11% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
Set against all pedestrian crashes in California, 2021–2026. Without traffic counts these can't say how risky a street is.
Where pedestrian crashes cluster
Spots with 3 or more reported crashes within about 250 m, worst first.
- 0112 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Esplanade & East Ave
People hit crossing mid-block
6 of 12 people were crossing away from a crosswalk. 75% happened after dark.
- Cross at the nearest signal or crosswalk here, even if it's out of your way. Drivers don't expect people mid-block.
- Wear something light or reflective, and cross where the street is lit.
- 027 crashes · 5 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
8th St & Broadway St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 4 of 7, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 3 of 7 crashes a driver was turning left. 5 of 7 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 57% happened after dark.
- Before you step out, look for drivers turning left from the far side of the junction. They are watching for a gap in oncoming traffic, not for you.
- Wear something light or reflective, and cross where the street is lit.
- 039 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
Nord Ave & Sacramento Ave
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 6 of 9, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 4 of 9 crashes a driver was turning left. 7 of 9 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 56% happened after dark.
- Before you step out, look for drivers turning left from the far side of the junction. They are watching for a gap in oncoming traffic, not for you.
- Wear something light or reflective, and cross where the street is lit.
- 047 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
2nd St & Cherry St
A mix of crash types
Of 7 people hit here, 5 were in a crosswalk at the intersection and 2 were crossing away from a crosswalk. 71% happened after dark.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Cross with the signal, and check for turning drivers before you step out.
- Wear something light or reflective, and cross where the street is lit.
- 055 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
Esplanade & 1st Ave
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 3 of 5, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Of 5 people hit here, 4 were in a crosswalk at the intersection. 40% happened after dark.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Cross with the signal, and check for turning drivers before you step out.
- Wear something light or reflective, and cross where the street is lit.
- 067 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Main St & 1st St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 5 of 7, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 4 of 7 crashes a driver was turning left. 5 of 7 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them.
- Before you step out, look for drivers turning left from the far side of the junction. They are watching for a gap in oncoming traffic, not for you.
- 075 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Cohasset Rd & East Ave
People hit walking in the road
2 of 5 people were in the road or on the shoulder when they were hit, not crossing. 60% happened after dark.
- Stay out of the traffic lane: check behind you before stepping out from a parked car, and where there's no sidewalk, walk facing traffic as far from the lane as you can.
- Wear something light or reflective, and cross where the street is lit.
- 083 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Esplanade & Cohasset Rd
People hit crossing mid-block
2 of 3 people were crossing away from a crosswalk. 100% happened after dark.
- Cross at the nearest signal or crosswalk here, even if it's out of your way. Drivers don't expect people mid-block.
- Wear something light or reflective, and cross where the street is lit.
- 096 crashes
Walnut St & 3rd St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 3 of 6, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 2 of 6 crashes a driver was turning left. 3 of 6 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 67% happened after dark.
- Before you step out, look for drivers turning left from the far side of the junction. They are watching for a gap in oncoming traffic, not for you.
- Wear something light or reflective, and cross where the street is lit.
- 104 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Salem St & 3rd St
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 2 of 4, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Of 4 people hit here, 3 were in a crosswalk at the intersection. 50% happened after dark.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Cross with the signal, and check for turning drivers before you step out.
- Wear something light or reflective, and cross where the street is lit.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in Chico
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Esplanade | 17 | 8 |
| East Ave | 12 | 3 |
| Nord Ave | 11 | 4 |
| Cohasset Rd | 9 | 3 |
| Main St | 8 | 1 |
| 2nd St | 6 | 2 |
| Lassen Ave | 6 | 2 |
| 8th St | 5 | 4 |
| 1st Ave | 5 | 1 |
| Walnut St | 5 | 0 |
Reported pedestrian 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.
What the police reports say drivers did in Chico
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 50 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 6 | |
| drove under the influence | 5 | |
| ran a red light | 5 | |
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 4 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 2 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 103 cars, 17 pickup trucks, 10 SUVs, 3 truck or semis and 1 minivan. In 17 crashes the report says the other driver had been drinking or was on drugs.
Reported pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026. The officer names one party and one Vehicle Code section as the main cause of each crash; these are the crashes where that party was a driver. It is the officer's reading at the scene, not a court's finding, and many reports name the person on foot or on a bike instead, which we don't list.
When pedestrians are hit in Chico
The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 27% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Friday.
| Monday | 22 | |
| Tuesday | 18 | |
| Wednesday | 18 | |
| Thursday | 23 | |
| Friday | 35 | |
| Saturday | 26 | |
| Sunday | 16 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in Chico, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in Chico
| Where the person on foot was | Chico | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 43% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 3% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 27% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 27% | 29% |
| Posted speed of the road | Chico | California |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mph or less | 33% | 33% |
| 30–35 mph | 64% | 32% |
| 40–45 mph | 3% | 27% |
| 50 mph or more | 0% | 8% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in Chico, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (155) or the road's posted speed (98). Freeway crashes are left out. These describe the crashes, not how dangerous each kind of street is: we have no count of how many people cross each one.
Pedestrian crashes in Chico by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 30 | 10 | |
| 2023 | 24 | 7 | |
| 2024 | 40 | 13 | |
| 2025 | 29 | 10 | |
| 2026 | 18 | 6 |
How people get to work in Chico
| Share of workers | Chico | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 68.6% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 9.9% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 0.9% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 3.7% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 1.9% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 13.5% | 17.2% |
7.1% of households in Chico have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 17.8 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 102,188 residents. These are trips to work only: walks to school, the shops or a bus stop aren't counted, so they can't say how much walking or riding happens on Chico's streets.
Common questions about Chico
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in Chico?
- The worst spot is Esplanade & East Ave, with 12 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 3 of them serious or fatal. Next are 8th St & Broadway St (7) and Nord Ave & Sacramento Ave (9).
- How many pedestrians were killed in Chico?
- 12 crashes killed someone in 158 reported pedestrian crashes in Chico from 2021–2026, and 53 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in Chico?
- 32% involved a driver turning, 19% turning left. 42% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 27% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 49% happened after dark.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in Chico, compared with California?
- Of 158 reported pedestrian crashes in Chico from 2021–2026: 49% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 3% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 34% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 11% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Chico have the most pedestrian crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Esplanade (17), East Ave (12), Nord Ave (11), Cohasset Rd (9), Main St (8). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in Chico?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in Chico was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Friday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in Chico?
- 3.7% of workers in Chico walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 0.9% take public transit. 7.1% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in Chico each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 17, 2022: 30, 2023: 24, 2024: 40, 2025: 29, 2026: 18. The latest year can rise as late reports come in.
- Where does this data come from?
- Police crash reports in the California Crash Reporting System (CCRS), published by the state on data.ca.gov. Only crashes reported with map coordinates are counted, so the real totals are higher.
Nearby cities
Source: California Crash Reporting System (CCRS), 2021–2026. A report with no coordinates is placed at the intersection its street names give; reports with neither are not counted, so these numbers are lower than the real total. Crashes on freeways are left out. Busy streets show more crashes partly because more people use them. Data last rebuilt 2026-10-22. How the data works.