Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in San Marcos, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 54
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 17
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 8
- fatal
- street with the most
- Mission Rd
- street with the most
Is San Marcos 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: 54 pedestrian crashes were reported in San Marcos from 2021–2026, 17 of them serious or fatal (8 fatal). The most were at Mission Rd & Las Posas Rd (3). 39% involved a driver turning, 15% turning left. 44% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in San Marcos
- 39% involved a driver turning, 15% turning left.
- 44% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 33% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 39% happened after dark.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in San Marcos
- 39% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 31% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 3 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.
- 013 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 2 fatal
Mission Rd & Las Posas Rd
A mix of crash types
67% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 45 mph.
- 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.
- Traffic is fast here. Use signalized crossings rather than crossing mid-block.
- 025 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
West San Marcos Blvd & South Rancho Santa Fe Rd
Drivers turning right into people crossing
In 2 of 5 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.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in San Marcos
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Mission Rd | 7 | 5 |
| Twin Oaks Valley Rd | 6 | 2 |
| Rancho Santa Fe Rd | 5 | 2 |
| San Marcos Blvd | 5 | 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 San Marcos
The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 37% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Wednesday.
| Monday | 10 | |
| Tuesday | 8 | |
| Wednesday | 12 | |
| Thursday | 10 | |
| Friday | 8 | |
| Saturday | 3 | |
| Sunday | 3 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in San Marcos, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in San Marcos
| Where the person on foot was | San Marcos | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 45% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 2% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 34% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 19% | 29% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in San Marcos, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (53) or the road's posted speed (2). 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 Marcos by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 16 | 8 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 13 | 5 | |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 |
How people get to work in San Marcos
| Share of workers | San Marcos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 67.7% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 8% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 0.5% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 1.5% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 20.5% | 17.2% |
3.5% of households in San Marcos have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 26.5 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 94,882 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 Marcos's streets.
Common questions about San Marcos
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in San Marcos?
- The worst spot is Mission Rd & Las Posas Rd, with 3 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are West San Marcos Blvd & South Rancho Santa Fe Rd (5).
- How many pedestrians were killed in San Marcos?
- 8 crashes killed someone in 54 reported pedestrian crashes in San Marcos from 2021–2026, and 17 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in San Marcos?
- 39% involved a driver turning, 15% turning left. 44% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 33% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 39% happened after dark.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in San Marcos, compared with California?
- Of 54 reported pedestrian crashes in San Marcos from 2021–2026: 39% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 31% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- Which streets in San Marcos have the most pedestrian crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Mission Rd (7), Twin Oaks Valley Rd (6), Rancho Santa Fe Rd (5), San Marcos Blvd (5). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in San Marcos?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in San Marcos was 3 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Wednesday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in San Marcos?
- 1.5% of workers in San Marcos walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 0.5% take public transit. 3.5% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in San Marcos each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 7, 2022: 16, 2023: 10, 2024: 13, 2025: 6, 2026: 2. 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 2026-10-07. How the data works.