Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in College Area, San Diego
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 75
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 16
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 4
- fatal
- street with the most
- El Cajon Blvd
- street with the most
Is College Area 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: 75 pedestrian crashes were reported in College Area from 2021–2026, 16 of them serious or fatal (4 fatal). The most were at Montezuma Rd & Reservoir Dr (13). 47% involved a driver turning, 21% turning left. 53% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
College Area here is the City of San Diego's College Area community planning area; its edges may differ from where residents put the neighborhood.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in College Area
- 47% involved a driver turning, 21% turning left.
- 53% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 24% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 51% happened after dark.
- 20% were hit-and-run.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in College Area
- 51% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 21% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 8 a.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.
- 0113 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
Montezuma Rd & Reservoir Dr
Drivers turning left into people crossing
In 7 of 13 crashes a driver was turning left. 9 of 13 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 54% 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.
- 0211 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Montezuma Rd & College Ave
A mix of crash types
Of 11 people hit here, 8 were in a crosswalk at the intersection and 3 were crossing away from a crosswalk. 73% 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.
- 037 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
El Cajon Blvd & 70th St
People hit crossing mid-block
3 of 7 people were crossing away from a crosswalk. 57% 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.
- 043 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
63rd St & El Cajon Blvd
People hit walking in the road
2 of 3 people were in the road or on the shoulder when they were hit, not crossing. 67% happened after dark.
- 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.
- Wear something light or reflective, and cross where the street is lit.
- 055 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
College Ave & El Cajon Blvd
Drivers turning right into people crossing
In 4 of 5 crashes a driver was turning right. 5 of 5 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 60% happened after dark.
- Watch for drivers turning right, including on a red light. They look left for traffic and often miss people on their right, so make eye contact before you step out.
- Wear something light or reflective, and cross where the street is lit.
- 064 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
54th St & El Cajon Blvd
Drivers turning right into people crossing
In 3 of 4 crashes a driver was turning right. 4 of 4 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them.
- Watch for drivers turning right, including on a red light. They look left for traffic and often miss people on their right, so make eye contact before you step out.
- 074 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
College Ave & Cresita Dr
A mix of crash types
Of 4 people hit here, 2 were in a mid-block crosswalk. 50% 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.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in College Area
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| El Cajon Blvd | 19 | 7 |
| Montezuma Rd | 13 | 3 |
| College Ave | 13 | 2 |
| 54th St | 3 | 1 |
| 63rd St | 3 | 0 |
| 55th St | 3 | 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.
When pedestrians are hit in College Area
The busiest hour was 8 a.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 25% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Thursday.
| Monday | 11 | |
| Tuesday | 10 | |
| Wednesday | 13 | |
| Thursday | 15 | |
| Friday | 6 | |
| Saturday | 12 | |
| Sunday | 8 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in College Area, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in College Area
| Where the person on foot was | College Area | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 55% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 4% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 25% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 16% | 29% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in College Area, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (73) or the road's posted speed (0). 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 College Area by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 14 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 13 | 4 | |
| 2024 | 12 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 11 | 3 | |
| 2026 | 16 | 2 |
Common questions about College Area
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in College Area?
- The worst spot is Montezuma Rd & Reservoir Dr, with 13 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 3 of them serious or fatal. Next are Montezuma Rd & College Ave (11) and El Cajon Blvd & 70th St (7).
- How many pedestrians were killed in College Area?
- 4 crashes killed someone in 75 reported pedestrian crashes in College Area from 2021–2026, and 16 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in College Area?
- 47% involved a driver turning, 21% turning left. 53% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 24% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 51% happened after dark. 20% were hit-and-run.
- How does College Area compare with the rest of San Diego?
- College Area had 75 of the 2,257 pedestrian crashes on the map in San Diego, 2021–2026 (3%). 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. College Area here is the City of San Diego's College Area community planning area; its edges may differ from where residents put the neighborhood.
- Which streets in College Area have the most pedestrian crashes?
- El Cajon Blvd (19), Montezuma Rd (13), College Ave (13), 54th St (3), 63rd St (3), 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. 71 of the 75 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.