Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in San Mateo, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 174
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 19
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 3
- fatal
- street with the most
- El Camino Real
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1El Camino Real & 17th Ave7 crashes · 2 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 6 of 7, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- 2Hillsdale Bv & El Camino Real9 crashes · 1 serious or fatalA mix of crash types
- 3El Camino Real & 5th Ave10 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 5 of 10, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Is San Mateo 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: 174 pedestrian crashes were reported in San Mateo from 2021–2026, 19 of them serious or fatal (3 fatal). The most were at El Camino Real & 17th Ave (7). 54% involved a driver turning, 39% turning left. 66% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in San Mateo
- 54% involved a driver turning, 39% turning left.
- 66% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 12% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 25% happened after dark.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in San Mateo
- 25% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 0% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 11% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 12 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- 7% (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.
- 017 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
El Camino Real & 17th Ave
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 6 of 7, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 4 of 7 crashes a driver was turning left. 6 of 7 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.
- 029 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Hillsdale Bv & El Camino Real
A mix of crash types
Of 9 people hit here, 5 were in a crosswalk at the intersection and 2 were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Cross with the signal, and check for turning drivers before you step out.
- 0310 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
El Camino Real & 5th Ave
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 5 of 10, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 5 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.
- 0411 crashes
Delaware St & 3rd Ave
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 6 of 11, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 5 of 11 crashes a driver was turning left. 8 of 11 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 45% 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.
- 0510 crashes
4th Ave & B St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 5 of 10, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 5 of 10 crashes a driver was turning left. 7 of 10 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.
- 067 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
4th Ave & San Mateo Dr
People hit walking in the road
Police reports: in 3 of 7, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. 3 of 7 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.
- 074 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Delaware St & State St
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 3 of 4, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Of 4 people hit here, 4 were in a crosswalk at the intersection. 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.
- 086 crashes
28th Ave & El Camino Real
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 4 of 6, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 2 of 6 crashes a driver was turning left. 4 of 6 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.
- 096 crashes
Hillsdale Blvd & Edison St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 4 of 6, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 5 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.
- 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.
- 104 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
El Camino Real & Avenue
Drivers turning right 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 right. 3 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.
Streets with the most pedestrian crashes in San Mateo
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| El Camino Real | 25 | 1 |
| Delaware St | 10 | 1 |
| Hillsdale Blvd | 9 | 1 |
| 3rd Ave | 9 | 0 |
| Humboldt St | 7 | 1 |
| Tilton Ave | 7 | 1 |
| 4th Ave | 6 | 1 |
| 9th Ave | 6 | 1 |
| Norfolk St | 6 | 1 |
| 2nd Ave | 6 | 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.
What the police reports say drivers did in San Mateo
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 100 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 11 | |
| ran a red light | 6 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 5 | |
| didn't yield to a pedestrian on a sidewalk | 4 | |
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 2 | |
| drove under the influence | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 136 cars, 13 SUVs, 9 pickup trucks, 4 motorcycles, 3 minivans and 2 truck or semis. In 8 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 Mateo
The busiest hour was 12 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 29% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Tuesday.
| Monday | 18 | |
| Tuesday | 39 | |
| Wednesday | 26 | |
| Thursday | 32 | |
| Friday | 21 | |
| Saturday | 24 | |
| Sunday | 14 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in San Mateo, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in San Mateo
| Where the person on foot was | San Mateo | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 66% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 2% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 12% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 20% | 29% |
| Posted speed of the road | San Mateo | California |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mph or less | 67% | 33% |
| 30–35 mph | 33% | 32% |
| 40–45 mph | 0% | 27% |
| 50 mph or more | 0% | 8% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in San Mateo, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (174) or the road's posted speed (157). 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 Mateo by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 15 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 40 | 6 | |
| 2024 | 40 | 4 | |
| 2025 | 42 | 6 | |
| 2026 | 26 | 2 |
How people get to work in San Mateo
| Share of workers | San Mateo | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 57.7% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 7% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 4.9% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 2.7% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 24.8% | 17.2% |
6.8% of households in San Mateo have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 26.1 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 103,105 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 Mateo's streets.
Common questions about San Mateo
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in San Mateo?
- The worst spot is El Camino Real & 17th Ave, with 7 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are Hillsdale Bv & El Camino Real (9) and El Camino Real & 5th Ave (10).
- How many pedestrians were killed in San Mateo?
- 3 crashes killed someone in 174 reported pedestrian crashes in San Mateo from 2021–2026, and 19 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in San Mateo?
- 54% involved a driver turning, 39% turning left. 66% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 12% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 25% happened after dark.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in San Mateo, compared with California?
- Of 174 reported pedestrian crashes in San Mateo from 2021–2026: 25% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 0% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 11% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 12 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 7% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in San Mateo have the most pedestrian crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: El Camino Real (25), Delaware St (10), Hillsdale Blvd (9), 3rd Ave (9), Humboldt St (7). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in San Mateo?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in San Mateo was 12 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Tuesday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in San Mateo?
- 2.7% of workers in San Mateo walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 4.9% 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 Mateo each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 11, 2022: 15, 2023: 40, 2024: 40, 2025: 42, 2026: 26. 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.