Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 19
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 6
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 1
- fatal
- street with the most
- Santa Margarita Pkwy
- street with the most
Is Rancho Santa Margarita 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: 19 pedestrian crashes were reported in Rancho Santa Margarita from 2021–2026, 6 of them serious or fatal (1 fatal). The most were at Santa Margarita Pkwy & Alma Aldea (3). 42% involved a driver turning, 26% turning left. 42% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in Rancho Santa Margarita
- 42% involved a driver turning, 26% turning left.
- 42% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 37% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 26% happened after dark.
Where pedestrian crashes cluster
Spots with 3 or more reported crashes within about 250 m, worst first.
- 013 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Santa Margarita Pkwy & Alma Aldea
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.
Pedestrian crashes in Rancho Santa Margarita by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2026 | 0 | 0 |
How people get to work in Rancho Santa Margarita
| Share of workers | City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 64.7% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 7.5% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 0.1% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 1.2% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 25.4% | 17.2% |
4.5% of households in Rancho Santa Margarita have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 26.2 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 46,990 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 Rancho Santa Margarita's streets.
Common questions about Rancho Santa Margarita
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in Rancho Santa Margarita?
- The worst spot is Santa Margarita Pkwy & Alma Aldea, with 3 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal.
- How many pedestrians were killed in Rancho Santa Margarita?
- 1 crash killed someone in 19 reported pedestrian crashes in Rancho Santa Margarita from 2021–2026, and 6 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in Rancho Santa Margarita?
- 42% involved a driver turning, 26% turning left. 42% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 37% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 26% happened after dark.
- How many people walk to work in Rancho Santa Margarita?
- 1.2% of workers in Rancho Santa Margarita walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 0.1% take public transit. 4.5% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in Rancho Santa Margarita each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 4, 2022: 6, 2023: 1, 2024: 5, 2025: 3, 2026: 0. 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.