Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in El Cerrito, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 48
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 8
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 3
- fatal
- street with the most
- San Pablo Ave
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 7 spots, explained- 1San Pablo Ave & Potrero Ave4 crashes · 2 serious or fatalPeople hit crossing mid-block
- 2Central Ave & Santa Clara Ave8 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 7 of 8, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- 3Cutting Blvd & San Pablo Ave7 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 6 of 7, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Is El Cerrito 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: 48 pedestrian crashes were reported in El Cerrito from 2021–2026, 8 of them serious or fatal (3 fatal). The most were at San Pablo Ave & Potrero Ave (4). 40% involved a driver turning, 33% turning left. 58% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in El Cerrito
- 40% involved a driver turning, 33% turning left.
- 58% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 25% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 35% happened after dark.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in El Cerrito
- 35% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 17% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- 13% (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.
- 014 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
San Pablo Ave & Potrero Ave
People hit crossing mid-block
2 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.
- 028 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Central Ave & Santa Clara Ave
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 7 of 8, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 4 of 8 crashes a driver was turning left. 5 of 8 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.
- 037 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Cutting Blvd & San Pablo Ave
People hit crossing mid-block
Police reports: in 6 of 7, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. 3 of 7 people were crossing away from a crosswalk. 57% 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.
- 043 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Knott Ave & Key Blvd
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 3 of 3, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 2 of 3 crashes a driver was turning left.
- 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.
- 053 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Donal Ave & Richmond St
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 2 of 3, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Of 3 people hit here, 2 were in a crosswalk at the intersection.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Cross with the signal, and check for turning drivers before you step out.
- 063 crashes
Elm St & Blake St W
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 2 of 3, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Of 3 people hit here, 2 were in a crosswalk at the intersection.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Cross with the signal, and check for turning drivers before you step out.
- 073 crashes
Eureka Ave & Elm St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 2 of 3, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 2 of 3 crashes a driver was turning left. 3 of 3 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.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in El Cerrito
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| San Pablo Ave | 13 | 3 |
| Carlson Blvd | 4 | 1 |
| Cutting Blvd | 4 | 1 |
| Richmond St | 4 | 0 |
| Potrero Ave | 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 El Cerrito
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 34 | |
| didn't yield to a pedestrian on a sidewalk | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 26 cars, 13 SUVs, 5 pickup trucks, 1 truck or semi, 1 motorcycle and 1 minivan. In 4 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 El Cerrito
The busiest hour was 6 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 | 6 | |
| Wednesday | 10 | |
| Thursday | 10 | |
| Friday | 8 | |
| Saturday | 3 | |
| Sunday | 4 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in El Cerrito, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in El Cerrito
| Where the person on foot was | El Cerrito | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 60% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 2% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 26% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 13% | 29% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in El Cerrito, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (47) or the road's posted speed (0). 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 El Cerrito by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2025 | 15 | 3 | |
| 2026 | 7 | 0 |
How people get to work in El Cerrito
| Share of workers | El Cerrito | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 40.6% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 5.9% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 15.3% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 2.7% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 1.4% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 31.8% | 17.2% |
7.4% of households in El Cerrito have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 33.3 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 25,994 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 El Cerrito's streets.
Common questions about El Cerrito
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in El Cerrito?
- The worst spot is San Pablo Ave & Potrero Ave, with 4 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are Central Ave & Santa Clara Ave (8) and Cutting Blvd & San Pablo Ave (7).
- How many pedestrians were killed in El Cerrito?
- 3 crashes killed someone in 48 reported pedestrian crashes in El Cerrito from 2021–2026, and 8 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in El Cerrito?
- 40% involved a driver turning, 33% turning left. 58% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 25% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 35% happened after dark.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in El Cerrito, compared with California?
- Of 48 reported pedestrian crashes in El Cerrito from 2021–2026: 35% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 17% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 13% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in El Cerrito have the most pedestrian crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: San Pablo Ave (13), Carlson Blvd (4), Cutting Blvd (4), Richmond St (4), Potrero Ave (3). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in El Cerrito?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in El Cerrito was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Wednesday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in El Cerrito?
- 2.7% of workers in El Cerrito walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 15.3% take public transit. 7.4% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in El Cerrito each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 6, 2022: 2, 2023: 10, 2024: 8, 2025: 15, 2026: 7. 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.