Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in Desert Hot Springs, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 58
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 22
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 15
- fatal
- street with the most
- Palm Dr
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 4 spots, explainedIs Desert Hot Springs 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: 58 pedestrian crashes were reported in Desert Hot Springs from 2021–2026, 22 of them serious or fatal (15 fatal). The most were at Palm Dr & Hacienda Ave (6). 21% involved a driver turning, 5% turning left. 19% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in Desert Hot Springs
- 21% involved a driver turning, 5% turning left.
- 19% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 34% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 64% happened after dark.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in Desert Hot Springs
- 64% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 31% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 38% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 7 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- 2% (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.
- 016 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 2 fatal
Palm Dr & Hacienda Ave
People hit crossing mid-block
3 of 6 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.
- 025 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 2 fatal
Palm Dr & Cahuilla Ave
People hit crossing mid-block
4 of 5 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.
- 033 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 2 fatal
Palm Dr & Ironwood Dr
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.
- 046 crashes
Palm Dr & Two Bunch Palms Trl
Drivers turning right into people crossing
In 2 of 6 crashes a driver was turning right. 3 of 6 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them.
- Watch for drivers turning right, including on a red light. They look left for traffic and often miss people on their right, so make eye contact before you step out.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in Desert Hot Springs
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Palm Dr | 27 | 12 |
| Hacienda Ave | 4 | 2 |
| Indian Canyon Dr | 3 | 3 |
| Pierson Blvd | 3 | 1 |
| West Dr | 3 | 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 Desert Hot Springs
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 7 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 6 | |
| drove under the influence | 4 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 38 cars, 10 SUVs, 3 truck or semis and 3 pickup trucks. In 7 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 Desert Hot Springs
The busiest hour was 7 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 21% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Wednesday.
| Monday | 7 | |
| Tuesday | 7 | |
| Wednesday | 12 | |
| Thursday | 11 | |
| Friday | 10 | |
| Saturday | 7 | |
| Sunday | 4 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in Desert Hot Springs, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in Desert Hot Springs
| Where the person on foot was | City | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 19% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 4% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 35% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 42% | 29% |
| Posted speed of the road | City | California |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mph or less | 28% | 33% |
| 30–35 mph | 41% | 32% |
| 40–45 mph | 12% | 27% |
| 50 mph or more | 19% | 8% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in Desert Hot Springs, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (57) or the road's posted speed (58). 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 Desert Hot Springs by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14 | 5 | |
| 2022 | 14 | 6 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 4 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2026 | 4 | 2 |
How people get to work in Desert Hot Springs
| Share of workers | City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 72.1% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 17.4% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 2.5% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 1.5% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 17.2% |
7.2% of households in Desert Hot Springs have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 28.5 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 33,200 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 Desert Hot Springs's streets.
Common questions about Desert Hot Springs
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in Desert Hot Springs?
- The worst spot is Palm Dr & Hacienda Ave, with 6 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are Palm Dr & Cahuilla Ave (5) and Palm Dr & Ironwood Dr (3).
- How many pedestrians were killed in Desert Hot Springs?
- 15 crashes killed someone in 58 reported pedestrian crashes in Desert Hot Springs from 2021–2026, and 22 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in Desert Hot Springs?
- 21% involved a driver turning, 5% turning left. 19% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 34% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 64% happened after dark.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in Desert Hot Springs, compared with California?
- Of 58 reported pedestrian crashes in Desert Hot Springs from 2021–2026: 64% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 31% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 38% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 7 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 2% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Desert Hot Springs have the most pedestrian crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Palm Dr (27), Hacienda Ave (4), Indian Canyon Dr (3), Pierson Blvd (3), West Dr (3). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in Desert Hot Springs?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in Desert Hot Springs was 7 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Wednesday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in Desert Hot Springs?
- 1.5% of workers in Desert Hot Springs walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 2.5% take public transit. 7.2% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in Desert Hot Springs each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 14, 2022: 14, 2023: 10, 2024: 8, 2025: 8, 2026: 4. 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.