Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in Palo Alto, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 41
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 9
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 2
- fatal
- street with the most
- Middlefield Rd
- street with the most
Is Palo Alto 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: 41 pedestrian crashes were reported in Palo Alto from 2021–2026, 9 of them serious or fatal (2 fatal). The most were at Forest Ave & Emerson St (3). 41% involved a driver turning, 32% turning left. 61% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in Palo Alto
- 41% involved a driver turning, 32% turning left.
- 61% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 10% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 12% happened after dark.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in Palo Alto
- 12% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 22% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
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
Forest Ave & Emerson St
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.
When pedestrians are hit in Palo Alto
The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 34% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Monday.
| Monday | 10 | |
| Tuesday | 6 | |
| Wednesday | 8 | |
| Thursday | 6 | |
| Friday | 7 | |
| Saturday | 3 | |
| Sunday | 1 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in Palo Alto, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in Palo Alto
| Where the person on foot was | Palo Alto | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 61% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 10% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 10% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 20% | 29% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in Palo Alto, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (41) or the road's posted speed (15). 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 Palo Alto by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 3 | 3 | |
| 2026 | 7 | 2 |
How people get to work in Palo Alto
| Share of workers | Palo Alto | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 44.2% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 4.6% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 2% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 4.6% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 7.9% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 35.4% | 17.2% |
8.5% of households in Palo Alto have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 21.4 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 67,237 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 Palo Alto's streets.
Common questions about Palo Alto
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in Palo Alto?
- The worst spot is Forest Ave & Emerson St, with 3 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026.
- How many pedestrians were killed in Palo Alto?
- 2 crashes killed someone in 41 reported pedestrian crashes in Palo Alto from 2021–2026, and 9 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in Palo Alto?
- 41% involved a driver turning, 32% turning left. 61% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 10% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 12% happened after dark.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in Palo Alto, compared with California?
- Of 41 reported pedestrian crashes in Palo Alto from 2021–2026: 12% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 22% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in Palo Alto?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in Palo Alto was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Monday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in Palo Alto?
- 4.6% of workers in Palo Alto walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 2% take public transit. 8.5% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in Palo Alto each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 19, 2022: 7, 2023: 4, 2024: 1, 2025: 3, 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 2026-10-07. How the data works.