Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in City Heights, San Diego
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 194
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 26
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 8
- fatal
- street with the most
- University Ave
- street with the most
Is City Heights safe to walk?
This page covers traffic crashes, not crime. We don't rate neighborhoods 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: 194 pedestrian crashes were reported in City Heights from 2021–2026, 26 of them serious or fatal (8 fatal). The most were at University Ave & Fairmount Ave (24). 35% involved a driver turning, 24% turning left. 47% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
City Heights here is the City of San Diego's City Heights community planning area; its edges may differ from where residents put the neighborhood.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in City Heights
- 35% involved a driver turning, 24% turning left.
- 47% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 29% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 38% happened after dark.
- 22% were hit-and-run.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in City Heights
- 38% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 13% (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.
- 0124 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
University Ave & Fairmount Ave
A mix of crash types
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.
- 029 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 2 fatal
El Cajon Blvd & 50th St
People hit crossing mid-block
5 of 9 people were crossing away from a crosswalk. 89% happened after dark. 56% were hit-and-run.
- 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.
- 0310 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
University Ave & Marlborough Ave
Drivers turning left into people crossing
In 3 of 10 crashes a driver was turning left. 5 of 10 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 30% 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.
- 046 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Home Ave & Gateway Dr
People hit walking in the road
3 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.
- 0512 crashes
El Cajon Blvd & Menlo Ave
Drivers turning left into people crossing
In 6 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.
- 065 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
University Ave & 54th St
People hit crossing mid-block
3 of 5 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.
- 0710 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Menlo Ave & Wightman St
People hit crossing mid-block
3 of 10 people were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- Cross at the nearest signal or crosswalk here, even if it's out of your way. Drivers don't expect people mid-block.
- 088 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Orange Ave & 43rd St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
In 3 of 8 crashes a driver was turning left. 4 of 8 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 25% 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.
- 098 crashes
University Ave & Cherokee Ave
People hit crossing mid-block
4 of 8 people were crossing away from a crosswalk. 50% were hit-and-run.
- Cross at the nearest signal or crosswalk here, even if it's out of your way. Drivers don't expect people mid-block.
- 106 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
University Ave & Swift Ave
Drivers turning left into people crossing
In 4 of 6 crashes a driver was turning left. 6 of 6 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 50% 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.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in City Heights
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| University Ave | 52 | 4 |
| El Cajon Blvd | 21 | 4 |
| Orange Ave | 18 | 1 |
| Home Ave | 14 | 7 |
| Fairmount Ave | 11 | 0 |
| Euclid Ave | 9 | 2 |
| Wightman St | 9 | 0 |
| 54th St | 4 | 1 |
| 43rd St | 4 | 0 |
| 42nd St | 3 | 1 |
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.
When pedestrians are hit in City Heights
The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 31% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Wednesday.
| Monday | 22 | |
| Tuesday | 14 | |
| Wednesday | 37 | |
| Thursday | 32 | |
| Friday | 33 | |
| Saturday | 24 | |
| Sunday | 32 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in City Heights, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in City Heights
| Where the person on foot was | City Heights | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 49% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 2% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 30% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 19% | 29% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in City Heights, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (188) 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 City Heights by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 21 | 5 | |
| 2022 | 46 | 8 | |
| 2023 | 28 | 3 | |
| 2024 | 41 | 6 | |
| 2025 | 35 | 2 | |
| 2026 | 23 | 2 |
Common questions about City Heights
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in City Heights?
- The worst spot is University Ave & Fairmount Ave, with 24 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are El Cajon Blvd & 50th St (9) and University Ave & Marlborough Ave (10).
- How many pedestrians were killed in City Heights?
- 8 crashes killed someone in 194 reported pedestrian crashes in City Heights from 2021–2026, and 26 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in City Heights?
- 35% involved a driver turning, 24% turning left. 47% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 29% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 38% happened after dark. 22% were hit-and-run.
- How does City Heights compare with the rest of San Diego?
- City Heights had 194 of the 2,257 pedestrian crashes on the map in San Diego, 2021–2026 (9%). That is a count, not a rate: a neighborhood with more people walking, shops and through traffic has more crashes without being riskier for each person. City Heights here is the City of San Diego's City Heights community planning area; its edges may differ from where residents put the neighborhood.
- Which streets in City Heights have the most pedestrian crashes?
- University Ave (52), El Cajon Blvd (21), Orange Ave (18), Home Ave (14), Fairmount Ave (11), counted by the street each police report names first.
Nearby neighborhoods in San Diego
Source: California Crash Reporting System (CCRS), 2021–2026. A crash counts toward the neighborhood whose outline holds its point. 187 of the 194 crashes here had no coordinates on the report and were placed at the intersection its street names give. Reports with neither coordinates nor usable street names aren't on the map, 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. Outline: City of San Diego, Community Planning Districts. Data last rebuilt 2026-10-07. How the data works.