Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in San Luis Obispo, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 125
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 30
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 3
- fatal
- street with the most
- Santa Rosa St
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1Foothill Blvd & Casa St9 crashes · 4 serious or fatalDrivers turning right into people crossing
- 2Santa Rosa St & Higuera St9 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 7 of 9, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- 3Santa Rosa & Oak7 crashes · 2 serious or fatalPeople hit crossing mid-block
Is San Luis Obispo 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: 125 pedestrian crashes were reported in San Luis Obispo from 2021–2026, 30 of them serious or fatal (3 fatal). The most were at Foothill Blvd & Casa St (9). 47% involved a driver turning, 30% turning left. 50% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in San Luis Obispo
- 47% involved a driver turning, 30% turning left.
- 50% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 23% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 31% happened after dark.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in San Luis Obispo
- 31% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 12% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 24% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 4 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- 5% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
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.
- 019 crashes · 4 serious or fatal · 2 fatal
Foothill Blvd & Casa St
Drivers turning right into people crossing
In 5 of 9 crashes a driver was turning right.
- 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.
- 029 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Santa Rosa St & Higuera St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 7 of 9, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 3 of 9 crashes a driver was turning left. 8 of 9 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.
- 037 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Santa Rosa & Oak
People hit crossing mid-block
4 of 7 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.
- 045 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Meadow St & South St
Drivers turning right into people crossing
Police reports: in 4 of 5, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 2 of 5 crashes a driver was turning right. 4 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.
- 058 crashes
Morro St & Monterey St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 4 of 8, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 3 of 8 crashes a driver was turning left. 5 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.
- 064 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Broad St & Industrial Way
People hit walking in the road
Police reports: in 2 of 4, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. 2 of 4 people were in the road or on the shoulder when they were hit, not crossing. 50% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 40 mph.
- 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.
- Traffic is fast here. Use signalized crossings rather than crossing mid-block.
- 073 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Santa Rosa & Murray
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 2 of 3, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. Of 3 people hit here, 2 were in a crosswalk at the intersection. 67% 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.
- 086 crashes
Santa Rosa St & Peach St
People hit crossing mid-block
2 of 6 people were crossing away from a crosswalk. 50% 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.
- 094 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Monterey & Johnson
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 2 of 4, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 2 of 4 crashes a driver was turning left. 3 of 4 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.
- 105 crashes
Marsh St & Chorro St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 3 of 5, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 3 of 5 crashes a driver was turning left. 3 of 5 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.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in San Luis Obispo
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa St | 15 | 2 |
| Broad St | 9 | 2 |
| Higuera St | 9 | 0 |
| Santa Rosa | 7 | 3 |
| Foothill Blvd | 5 | 3 |
| Monterey St | 5 | 0 |
| Morro St | 5 | 0 |
| Monterey | 4 | 2 |
| Tank Farm Rd | 3 | 2 |
| Prado Rd | 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.
What the police reports say drivers did in San Luis Obispo
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 49 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 7 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 5 | |
| ran a red light | 4 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 4 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 3 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 3 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 77 cars, 18 pickup trucks, 14 SUVs, 2 truck or semis and 1 minivan. In 6 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 Luis Obispo
The busiest hour was 4 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 42% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Monday.
| Monday | 23 | |
| Tuesday | 19 | |
| Wednesday | 19 | |
| Thursday | 20 | |
| Friday | 21 | |
| Saturday | 14 | |
| Sunday | 9 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in San Luis Obispo, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in San Luis Obispo
| Where the person on foot was | City | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 50% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 1% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 23% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 26% | 29% |
| Posted speed of the road | City | California |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mph or less | 64% | 33% |
| 30–35 mph | 23% | 32% |
| 40–45 mph | 12% | 27% |
| 50 mph or more | 0% | 8% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in San Luis Obispo, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (125) or the road's posted speed (81). 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 Luis Obispo by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 29 | 4 | |
| 2023 | 19 | 6 | |
| 2024 | 17 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 26 | 8 | |
| 2026 | 11 | 2 |
How people get to work in San Luis Obispo
| Share of workers | City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 63.8% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 6.8% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 1% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 6.1% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 4.5% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 17.1% | 17.2% |
6.8% of households in San Luis Obispo have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 16.1 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 48,491 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 Luis Obispo's streets.
Common questions about San Luis Obispo
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in San Luis Obispo?
- The worst spot is Foothill Blvd & Casa St, with 9 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 4 of them serious or fatal. Next are Santa Rosa St & Higuera St (9) and Santa Rosa & Oak (7).
- How many pedestrians were killed in San Luis Obispo?
- 3 crashes killed someone in 125 reported pedestrian crashes in San Luis Obispo from 2021–2026, and 30 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in San Luis Obispo?
- 47% involved a driver turning, 30% turning left. 50% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 23% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 31% happened after dark.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in San Luis Obispo, compared with California?
- Of 125 reported pedestrian crashes in San Luis Obispo from 2021–2026: 31% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 12% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 24% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 4 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 5% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in San Luis Obispo have the most pedestrian crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Santa Rosa St (15), Broad St (9), Higuera St (9), Santa Rosa (7), Foothill Blvd (5). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in San Luis Obispo?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in San Luis Obispo was 4 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Monday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in San Luis Obispo?
- 6.1% of workers in San Luis Obispo walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 1% take public transit. 6.8% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in San Luis Obispo each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 23, 2022: 29, 2023: 19, 2024: 17, 2025: 26, 2026: 11. 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 2026-10-22. How the data works.