Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in Menlo Park, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 61
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 6
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 2
- fatal
- street with the most
- University Dr
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 4 spots, explained- 1University Dr & Menlo Ave12 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 7 of 12, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- 2Santa Cruz Ave & El Camino Real6 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPeople hit walking in the road
- 3SR-82 & Roble Av S C4 crashes · 1 serious or fatalA mix of crash types
Is Menlo Park 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: 61 pedestrian crashes were reported in Menlo Park from 2021–2026, 6 of them serious or fatal (2 fatal). The most were at University Dr & Menlo Ave (12). 43% involved a driver turning, 26% turning left. 43% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in Menlo Park
- 43% involved a driver turning, 26% turning left.
- 43% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 15% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 21% happened after dark.
- 11% were hit-and-run.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in Menlo Park
- 21% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 0% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 10% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 2 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- 3% (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 · 1 serious or fatal
University Dr & Menlo Ave
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 7 of 12, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 9 of 12 crashes a driver was turning left. 8 of 12 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.
- 026 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Santa Cruz Ave & El Camino Real
People hit walking in the road
5 of 6 people were in the road or on the shoulder when they were hit, not crossing.
- 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.
- 034 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
SR-82 & Roble Av S C
A mix of crash types
100% 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.
- 045 crashes
Chestnut St & Santa Cruz Ave
People hit walking in the road
Police reports: in 4 of 5, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. 2 of 5 people were in the road or on the shoulder when they were hit, not crossing. 40% were hit-and-run.
- 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.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in Menlo Park
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| University Dr | 10 | 1 |
| El Camino Real | 6 | 1 |
| Santa Cruz Ave | 5 | 0 |
| Marsh Rd | 4 | 1 |
| Willow Rd | 4 | 0 |
| Oak Grove Ave | 4 | 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 Menlo Park
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 25 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 7 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 6 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 43 cars, 8 SUVs, 2 buses, 2 truck or semis, 1 motorcycle and 1 pickup truck. In 2 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 Menlo Park
The busiest hour was 2 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 30% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Wednesday.
| Monday | 10 | |
| Tuesday | 8 | |
| Wednesday | 14 | |
| Thursday | 12 | |
| Friday | 11 | |
| Saturday | 4 | |
| Sunday | 2 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in Menlo Park, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in Menlo Park
| Where the person on foot was | Menlo Park | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 43% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 10% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 15% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 33% | 29% |
| Posted speed of the road | Menlo Park | California |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mph or less | 74% | 33% |
| 30–35 mph | 26% | 32% |
| 40–45 mph | 0% | 27% |
| 50 mph or more | 0% | 8% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in Menlo Park, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (61) or the road's posted speed (57). 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 Menlo Park by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 16 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 11 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2026 | 5 | 1 |
How people get to work in Menlo Park
| Share of workers | Menlo Park | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 48.4% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 6% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 2% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 1.7% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 8.2% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 32.4% | 17.2% |
7.9% of households in Menlo Park have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 23.9 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 32,727 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 Menlo Park's streets.
Common questions about Menlo Park
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in Menlo Park?
- The worst spot is University Dr & Menlo Ave, with 12 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are Santa Cruz Ave & El Camino Real (6) and SR-82 & Roble Av S C (4).
- How many pedestrians were killed in Menlo Park?
- 2 crashes killed someone in 61 reported pedestrian crashes in Menlo Park from 2021–2026, and 6 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in Menlo Park?
- 43% involved a driver turning, 26% turning left. 43% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 15% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 21% happened after dark. 11% were hit-and-run.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in Menlo Park, compared with California?
- Of 61 reported pedestrian crashes in Menlo Park from 2021–2026: 21% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 0% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 10% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 2 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 3% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Menlo Park have the most pedestrian crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: University Dr (10), El Camino Real (6), Santa Cruz Ave (5), Marsh Rd (4), Willow Rd (4). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in Menlo Park?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in Menlo Park was 2 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Wednesday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in Menlo Park?
- 1.7% of workers in Menlo Park walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 2% take public transit. 7.9% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in Menlo Park each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 7, 2022: 16, 2023: 11, 2024: 10, 2025: 12, 2026: 5. 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.