Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in San Diego, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 2,273
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 416
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 139
- fatal
- street with the most
- University Ave
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 17th Ave & E St35 crashes · 4 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 19 of 35, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- 2El Cajon Blvd & Altadena Ave12 crashes · 6 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 3 of 12, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- 3Market St & 13th St33 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 13 of 33, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Is San Diego 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: 2,273 pedestrian crashes were reported in San Diego from 2021–2026, 416 of them serious or fatal (139 fatal). The most were at 7th Ave & E St (35). 36% involved a driver turning, 23% turning left. 47% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in San Diego
- 36% involved a driver turning, 23% turning left.
- 47% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 26% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 44% happened after dark.
- 18% were hit-and-run.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in San Diego
- 44% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 41% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 18% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- 5% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 34 crashes: a construction or repair zone (26), loose material on the road (4), a narrowed road (2) and holes or deep ruts (2).
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.
- 0135 crashes · 4 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
7th Ave & E St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 19 of 35, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 12 of 35 crashes a driver was turning left. 26 of 35 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 66% 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.
- 0212 crashes · 6 serious or fatal · 4 fatal
El Cajon Blvd & Altadena Ave
People hit crossing mid-block
Police reports: in 3 of 12, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. 7 of 12 people were crossing away from a crosswalk. 92% 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.
- 0333 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Market St & 13th St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 13 of 33, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 18 of 33 crashes a driver was turning left. 27 of 33 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.
- 0428 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
5th Ave & G St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 13 of 28, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 11 of 28 crashes a driver was turning left. 18 of 28 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 68% happened after dark. 36% were hit-and-run.
- 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.
- 0515 crashes · 8 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Market St & 20th St
People hit crossing mid-block
7 of 15 people were crossing away from a crosswalk. 60% 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.
- 0625 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Grape St & Columbia St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 14 of 25, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 18 of 25 crashes a driver was turning left. 18 of 25 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 44% 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.
- 0723 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
University Ave & Vermont St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 8 of 23, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 7 of 23 crashes a driver was turning left. 15 of 23 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 43% 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.
- 0821 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Broadway & Park Blvd
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 5 of 21, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 8 of 21 crashes a driver was turning left. 14 of 21 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.
- 0918 crashes · 5 serious or fatal
Garnet Ave & Everts St
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 7 of 18, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Of 18 people hit here, 11 were in a crosswalk at the intersection and 4 were crossing away from a crosswalk. 67% happened after dark. 33% were hit-and-run.
- 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.
- 1024 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
University Ave & Fairmount Ave
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 9 of 24, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Of 24 people hit here, 16 were in a crosswalk at the intersection and 5 were in the road. 25% were hit-and-run.
- 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 San Diego
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| University Ave | 99 | 11 |
| El Cajon Blvd | 86 | 24 |
| Market St | 48 | 12 |
| Garnet Ave | 40 | 10 |
| Imperial Ave | 40 | 8 |
| Mission Blvd | 31 | 4 |
| 6th Ave | 30 | 8 |
| Euclid Ave | 28 | 6 |
| College Ave | 25 | 7 |
| 5th Ave | 25 | 2 |
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 San Diego
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 625 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 177 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 104 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 74 | |
| ran a red light | 49 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 36 | |
| didn't yield to a pedestrian on a sidewalk | 18 | |
| didn't yield at an intersection | 14 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 1,315 cars, 147 SUVs, 108 pickup trucks, 46 minivans, 30 truck or semis and 20 motorcycles. In 144 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 San Diego
The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 26% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Friday.
| Monday | 286 | |
| Tuesday | 293 | |
| Wednesday | 356 | |
| Thursday | 368 | |
| Friday | 384 | |
| Saturday | 305 | |
| Sunday | 281 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in San Diego, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in San Diego
| Where the person on foot was | San Diego | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 50% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 2% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 27% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 21% | 29% |
| Posted speed of the road | San Diego | California |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mph or less | 31% | 33% |
| 30–35 mph | 28% | 32% |
| 40–45 mph | 31% | 27% |
| 50 mph or more | 9% | 8% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in San Diego, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (2,166) or the road's posted speed (32). 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 San Diego by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 354 | 81 | |
| 2022 | 421 | 88 | |
| 2023 | 394 | 82 | |
| 2024 | 412 | 66 | |
| 2025 | 422 | 60 | |
| 2026 | 270 | 39 |
How people get to work in San Diego
| Share of workers | San Diego | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 62.6% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 7.7% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 2.7% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 3.4% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 21.2% | 17.2% |
6.6% of households in San Diego have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 23.5 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 1,389,526 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 San Diego's streets.
Common questions about San Diego
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in San Diego?
- The worst spot is 7th Ave & E St, with 35 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 4 of them serious or fatal. Next are El Cajon Blvd & Altadena Ave (12) and Market St & 13th St (33).
- How many pedestrians were killed in San Diego?
- 139 crashes killed someone in 2,273 reported pedestrian crashes in San Diego from 2021–2026, and 416 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in San Diego?
- 36% involved a driver turning, 23% turning left. 47% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 26% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 44% happened after dark. 18% were hit-and-run.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in San Diego, compared with California?
- Of 2,273 reported pedestrian crashes in San Diego from 2021–2026: 44% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 41% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 18% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 5% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it. The reports name something about the road itself in 34 crashes: a construction or repair zone (26), loose material on the road (4), a narrowed road (2) and holes or deep ruts (2).
- Which streets in San Diego have the most pedestrian crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: University Ave (99), El Cajon Blvd (86), Market St (48), Garnet Ave (40), Imperial Ave (40). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in San Diego?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in San Diego was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Friday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in San Diego?
- 3.4% of workers in San Diego walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 2.7% take public transit. 6.6% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in San Diego each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 354, 2022: 421, 2023: 394, 2024: 412, 2025: 422, 2026: 270. 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.
Visiting San Diego
Weather, getting there without a car, parking and the crashes reported within a mile of each.
Pedestrian crashes by neighborhood in San Diego
San Diego publishes its own neighborhood outlines (community planning areas), so each one has a page: where pedestrian crashes cluster there, which streets have the most, and what the reports show.
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.