Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in Lake Forest, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 59
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 18
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 4
- fatal
- street with the most
- El Toro Rd
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 4 spots, explained- 1Ridge Route Dr & Muirlands Blvd3 crashes · 1 serious or fatalDrivers turning left into people crossing
- 2Lake Forest Dr & Rockfield Blvd3 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 2 of 3, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- 3Rockfield Blvd & Landisview Ave3 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 2 of 3, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Is Lake Forest 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: 59 pedestrian crashes were reported in Lake Forest from 2021–2026, 18 of them serious or fatal (4 fatal). The most were at Ridge Route Dr & Muirlands Blvd (3). 47% involved a driver turning, 22% turning left. 63% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in Lake Forest
- 47% involved a driver turning, 22% turning left.
- 63% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 19% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 42% happened after dark.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in Lake Forest
- 42% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 31% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- 7% (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.
- 013 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Ridge Route Dr & Muirlands Blvd
Drivers turning left into people crossing
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. 100% 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.
- 023 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Lake Forest Dr & Rockfield Blvd
Drivers turning right 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 right. 2 of 3 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.
- 033 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Rockfield Blvd & Landisview Ave
Drivers turning right 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 right. 3 of 3 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.
- 043 crashes
El Toro Rd & Raymond Way
A mix of crash types
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.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in Lake Forest
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| El Toro Rd | 13 | 4 |
| Lake Forest Dr | 8 | 4 |
| Rockfield Blvd | 5 | 1 |
| Muirlands Blvd | 5 | 1 |
| Ridge Route Dr | 4 | 0 |
| Trabuco Rd | 3 | 0 |
| Portola Pkwy | 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 Lake Forest
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 20 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 4 | |
| ran a red light | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 31 cars, 14 SUVs, 7 pickup trucks, 1 minivan, 1 motorcycle and 1 truck or semi.
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 Lake Forest
The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 25% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Thursday.
| Monday | 12 | |
| Tuesday | 9 | |
| Wednesday | 7 | |
| Thursday | 14 | |
| Friday | 3 | |
| Saturday | 8 | |
| Sunday | 6 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in Lake Forest, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in Lake Forest
| Where the person on foot was | Lake Forest | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 64% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 2% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 19% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 16% | 29% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in Lake Forest, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (58) or the road's posted speed (1). 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 Lake Forest by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2025 | 10 | 6 | |
| 2026 | 8 | 6 |
How people get to work in Lake Forest
| Share of workers | Lake Forest | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 65.5% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 6.5% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 1% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 1.1% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 24.4% | 17.2% |
2.4% of households in Lake Forest have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 25.5 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 86,281 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 Lake Forest's streets.
Common questions about Lake Forest
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in Lake Forest?
- The worst spot is Ridge Route Dr & Muirlands Blvd, with 3 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are Lake Forest Dr & Rockfield Blvd (3) and Rockfield Blvd & Landisview Ave (3).
- How many pedestrians were killed in Lake Forest?
- 4 crashes killed someone in 59 reported pedestrian crashes in Lake Forest from 2021–2026, and 18 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in Lake Forest?
- 47% involved a driver turning, 22% turning left. 63% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 19% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 42% happened after dark.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in Lake Forest, compared with California?
- Of 59 reported pedestrian crashes in Lake Forest from 2021–2026: 42% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 31% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 7% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Lake Forest have the most pedestrian crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: El Toro Rd (13), Lake Forest Dr (8), Rockfield Blvd (5), Muirlands Blvd (5), Ridge Route Dr (4). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in Lake Forest?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in Lake Forest was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Thursday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in Lake Forest?
- 1.1% of workers in Lake Forest walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 1% take public transit. 2.4% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in Lake Forest each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 9, 2022: 11, 2023: 12, 2024: 9, 2025: 10, 2026: 8. 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.