Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in Costa Mesa, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 205
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 41
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 11
- fatal
- street with the most
- Newport Blvd
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1Newport Blvd & Harbor Blvd10 crashes · 6 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 3 of 10, a driver ran a red light.
- 2Victoria St & Placentia Ave6 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 3 of 6, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- 319th St & Harbor Blvd5 crashes · 3 serious or fatalPeople hit crossing mid-block
Is Costa Mesa 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: 205 pedestrian crashes were reported in Costa Mesa from 2021–2026, 41 of them serious or fatal (11 fatal). The most were at Newport Blvd & Harbor Blvd (10). 37% involved a driver turning, 21% turning left. 52% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in Costa Mesa
- 37% involved a driver turning, 21% turning left.
- 52% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 23% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 40% happened after dark.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in Costa Mesa
- 40% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 20% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- 5% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 2 crashes: a construction or repair zone (2).
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.
- 0110 crashes · 6 serious or fatal · 3 fatal
Newport Blvd & Harbor Blvd
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 3 of 10, a driver ran a red light. Of 10 people hit here, 10 were in a crosswalk at the intersection. 90% 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.
- 026 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Victoria St & Placentia Ave
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. 4 of 6 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 50% 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.
- 035 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
19th St & Harbor Blvd
People hit crossing mid-block
3 of 5 people were crossing away from a crosswalk. 40% 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.
- 044 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Fairview Rd & Baker St
People hit crossing mid-block
3 of 4 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.
- 053 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Newport Blvd & 17th St
A mix of crash types
67% 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.
- 064 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Superior Ave & 17th St
People hit crossing mid-block
Police reports: in 2 of 4, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. 2 of 4 people were crossing away from a crosswalk. 50% 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.
- 074 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Adams Ave & Pinecreek Dr
People hit crossing mid-block
3 of 4 people were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- Cross at the nearest signal or crosswalk here, even if it's out of your way. Drivers don't expect people mid-block.
- 084 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Victoria St & Harbor Blvd
A mix of crash types
Of 4 people hit here, 2 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.
- 095 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Harbor Blvd & Hamilton St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
In 2 of 5 crashes a driver was turning left. 3 of 5 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 40% 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.
- 105 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
19th St & Placentia Ave
People hit walking in the road
3 of 5 people were in the road or on the shoulder when they were hit, not crossing. 40% 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.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in Costa Mesa
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Newport Blvd | 22 | 8 |
| Harbor Blvd | 20 | 3 |
| 19th St | 15 | 4 |
| Bristol St | 12 | 4 |
| Victoria St | 11 | 3 |
| Baker St | 9 | 2 |
| Placentia Ave | 8 | 0 |
| Fairview Rd | 6 | 1 |
| Adams Ave | 6 | 1 |
| Pomona Ave | 6 | 1 |
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 Costa Mesa
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 59 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 10 | |
| ran a red light | 8 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 7 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 6 | |
| drove under the influence | 6 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 5 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 4 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 103 cars, 47 SUVs, 23 pickup trucks, 4 minivans, 3 truck or semis and 1 bus. In 12 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 Costa Mesa
The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 28% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Friday.
| Monday | 27 | |
| Tuesday | 30 | |
| Wednesday | 34 | |
| Thursday | 32 | |
| Friday | 40 | |
| Saturday | 23 | |
| Sunday | 19 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in Costa Mesa, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in Costa Mesa
| Where the person on foot was | Costa Mesa | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 53% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 3% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 23% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 20% | 29% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in Costa Mesa, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (202) or the road's posted speed (3). 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 Costa Mesa by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 41 | 8 | |
| 2023 | 26 | 5 | |
| 2024 | 49 | 13 | |
| 2025 | 32 | 5 | |
| 2026 | 24 | 3 |
How people get to work in Costa Mesa
| Share of workers | Costa Mesa | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 62.4% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 8.2% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 1.6% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 2.1% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 1.2% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 22.2% | 17.2% |
4.8% of households in Costa Mesa have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 22.4 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 110,330 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 Costa Mesa's streets.
Common questions about Costa Mesa
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in Costa Mesa?
- The worst spot is Newport Blvd & Harbor Blvd, with 10 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 6 of them serious or fatal. Next are Victoria St & Placentia Ave (6) and 19th St & Harbor Blvd (5).
- How many pedestrians were killed in Costa Mesa?
- 11 crashes killed someone in 205 reported pedestrian crashes in Costa Mesa from 2021–2026, and 41 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in Costa Mesa?
- 37% involved a driver turning, 21% turning left. 52% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 23% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 40% happened after dark.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in Costa Mesa, compared with California?
- Of 205 reported pedestrian crashes in Costa Mesa from 2021–2026: 40% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 20% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 5% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it. The reports name something about the road itself in 2 crashes: a construction or repair zone (2).
- Which streets in Costa Mesa have the most pedestrian crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Newport Blvd (22), Harbor Blvd (20), 19th St (15), Bristol St (12), Victoria St (11). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in Costa Mesa?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in Costa Mesa was 5 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Friday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in Costa Mesa?
- 2.1% of workers in Costa Mesa walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 1.6% take public transit. 4.8% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in Costa Mesa each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 33, 2022: 41, 2023: 26, 2024: 49, 2025: 32, 2026: 24. 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.