Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in Downtown, San Diego
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 364
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 34
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 10
- fatal
- street with the most
- Market St
- street with the most
Is Downtown 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: 364 pedestrian crashes were reported in Downtown from 2021–2026, 34 of them serious or fatal (10 fatal). The most were at 7th Ave & E St (35). 44% involved a driver turning, 36% turning left. 61% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Downtown here is the City of San Diego's Downtown community planning area; its edges may differ from where residents put the neighborhood.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in Downtown
- 44% involved a driver turning, 36% turning left.
- 61% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 16% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 44% happened after dark.
- 22% were hit-and-run.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in Downtown
- 44% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 9% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 5 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.
- 0135 crashes · 4 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
7th Ave & E St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
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.
- 0233 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Market St & 13th St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
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.
- 0328 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
5th Ave & G St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
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.
- 0425 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Grape St & Columbia St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
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.
- 0521 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Broadway & Park Blvd
Drivers turning left into people crossing
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.
- 0614 crashes · 4 serious or fatal · 2 fatal
G St & 16th St
A mix of crash types
Of 14 people hit here, 6 were in a crosswalk at the intersection and 4 were crossing away from a 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.
- 0716 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
10th Ave & J St
A mix of crash types
Of 16 people hit here, 9 were in a crosswalk at the intersection and 3 were in the road. 50% happened after dark. 38% 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.
- 0820 crashes
7th Ave & J St
A mix of crash types
Of 20 people hit here, 16 were in a crosswalk at the intersection and 3 were in the road. 35% were hit-and-run.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Cross with the signal, and check for turning drivers before you step out.
- 0918 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
1st Ave & Beech St
A mix of crash types
Of 18 people hit here, 8 were in a crosswalk at the intersection and 4 were in the road. 28% were hit-and-run.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Cross with the signal, and check for turning drivers before you step out.
- 1019 crashes
16th St & Imperial Ave
Drivers turning left into people crossing
In 7 of 19 crashes a driver was turning left. 26% 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.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in Downtown
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Market St | 22 | 2 |
| Broadway | 21 | 1 |
| 6th Ave | 18 | 2 |
| G St | 17 | 3 |
| 7th Ave | 17 | 2 |
| 5th Ave | 15 | 1 |
| J St | 14 | 1 |
| 16th St | 12 | 0 |
| 11th Ave | 12 | 0 |
| Grape St | 11 | 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 Downtown
The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 22% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Friday.
| Monday | 39 | |
| Tuesday | 38 | |
| Wednesday | 54 | |
| Thursday | 62 | |
| Friday | 67 | |
| Saturday | 53 | |
| Sunday | 51 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in Downtown, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in Downtown
| Where the person on foot was | Downtown | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 63% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 2% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 16% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 19% | 29% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in Downtown, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (351) 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 Downtown by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 60 | 10 | |
| 2022 | 63 | 8 | |
| 2023 | 60 | 6 | |
| 2024 | 70 | 6 | |
| 2025 | 76 | 2 | |
| 2026 | 35 | 2 |
Common questions about Downtown
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in Downtown?
- The worst spot is 7th Ave & E St, with 35 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 4 of them serious or fatal. Next are Market St & 13th St (33) and 5th Ave & G St (28).
- How many pedestrians were killed in Downtown?
- 10 crashes killed someone in 364 reported pedestrian crashes in Downtown from 2021–2026, and 34 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in Downtown?
- 44% involved a driver turning, 36% turning left. 61% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 16% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 44% happened after dark. 22% were hit-and-run.
- How does Downtown compare with the rest of San Diego?
- Downtown had 364 of the 2,257 pedestrian crashes on the map in San Diego, 2021–2026 (16%). 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. Downtown here is the City of San Diego's Downtown community planning area; its edges may differ from where residents put the neighborhood.
- Which streets in Downtown have the most pedestrian crashes?
- Market St (22), Broadway (21), 6th Ave (18), G St (17), 7th Ave (17), 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. 355 of the 364 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.