Pedestrian crash statistics and hotspots in San Rafael, CA
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- 228
- pedestrian crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 30
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 6
- fatal
- street with the most
- Third St
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 12nd St & Lincoln Ave35 crashes · 3 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 18 of 35, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- 23rd St & A St23 crashes · 2 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 14 of 23, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- 3Irwin St & 4th St22 crashes · 5 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 15 of 22, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Is San Rafael 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: 228 pedestrian crashes were reported in San Rafael from 2021–2026, 30 of them serious or fatal (6 fatal). The most were at 2nd St & Lincoln Ave (35). 57% involved a driver turning, 44% turning left. 65% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
Where to look next
How people on foot get hit in San Rafael
- 57% involved a driver turning, 44% turning left.
- 65% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection.
- 13% were crossing away from a crosswalk.
- 29% happened after dark.
What the reports show about pedestrian crashes in San Rafael
- 29% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 1% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 13% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.).
- 9% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 4 crashes: a construction or repair zone (4).
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 · 3 serious or fatal
2nd St & Lincoln Ave
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 18 of 35, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 15 of 35 crashes a driver was turning left. 24 of 35 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.
- 0223 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 2 fatal
3rd St & A St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 14 of 23, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 14 of 23 crashes a driver was turning left. 20 of 23 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.
- 0322 crashes · 5 serious or fatal
Irwin St & 4th St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 15 of 22, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 15 of 22 crashes a driver was turning left. 18 of 22 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 50% 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.
- 0413 crashes · 5 serious or fatal
Canal St & Fairfax St
Drivers turning right into people crossing
Police reports: in 6 of 13, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 5 of 13 crashes a driver was turning right. 46% 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.
- 0515 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
B St & 2nd St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 11 of 15, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 12 of 15 crashes a driver was turning left. 13 of 15 people were in the crosswalk at the intersection: having the right of way didn't protect them. 40% 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.
- 068 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
4th St & G St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 5 of 8, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 4 of 8 crashes a driver was turning left. 6 of 8 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.
- 078 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
5th Ave & Court St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 8 of 8, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 5 of 8 crashes a driver was turning left. 8 of 8 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.
- 089 crashes
3rd St & Union St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 4 of 9, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 6 of 9 crashes a driver was turning left. 5 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.
- 098 crashes
Larkspur St & Kerner Blvd
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 3 of 8, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Of 8 people hit here, 4 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.
- 108 crashes
Mission Ave & Mary St
Drivers turning left into people crossing
Police reports: in 6 of 8, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. In 3 of 8 crashes a driver was turning left. 7 of 8 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 Rafael
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Third St | 11 | 1 |
| Mission Ave | 11 | 1 |
| Fourth St | 11 | 1 |
| Second St | 10 | 2 |
| Bellam Blvd | 9 | 2 |
| Canal St | 9 | 1 |
| 5th Ave | 9 | 1 |
| Lincoln Ave | 8 | 0 |
| 3rd St | 8 | 0 |
| 4th St | 7 | 2 |
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 Rafael
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 124 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 22 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 13 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 7 | |
| ran a red light | 3 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 165 cars, 30 pickup trucks, 12 SUVs, 7 minivans, 1 truck or semi and 1 bus. In 4 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 Rafael
The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 33% of reported pedestrian crashes happened between 3 and 7 p.m. (California: 28%), and the busiest day was Thursday.
| Monday | 34 | |
| Tuesday | 32 | |
| Wednesday | 43 | |
| Thursday | 44 | |
| Friday | 39 | |
| Saturday | 17 | |
| Sunday | 19 |
Reported pedestrian crashes in San Rafael, 2021–2026, by the hour and day on the police report.
Where pedestrians are hit in San Rafael
| Where the person on foot was | San Rafael | California |
|---|---|---|
| In a crosswalk at an intersection | 65% | 42% |
| In a crosswalk away from an intersection | 3% | 3% |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | 13% | 26% |
| In the road or on the shoulder, not crossing | 18% | 29% |
| Posted speed of the road | San Rafael | California |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mph or less | 87% | 33% |
| 30–35 mph | 12% | 32% |
| 40–45 mph | 1% | 27% |
| 50 mph or more | 0% | 8% |
Shares of reported pedestrian crashes in San Rafael, 2021–2026, that record where the person was (228) or the road's posted speed (115). 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 Rafael by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 28 | 4 | |
| 2022 | 37 | 5 | |
| 2023 | 44 | 8 | |
| 2024 | 46 | 4 | |
| 2025 | 38 | 5 | |
| 2026 | 35 | 4 |
How people get to work in San Rafael
| Share of workers | San Rafael | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 48.3% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 12.8% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 5.6% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 4.5% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 26.3% | 17.2% |
8.7% of households in San Rafael have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 25.3 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 60,433 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 Rafael's streets.
Common questions about San Rafael
- Where do the most pedestrian crashes happen in San Rafael?
- The worst spot is 2nd St & Lincoln Ave, with 35 reported pedestrian crashes from 2021–2026, 3 of them serious or fatal. Next are 3rd St & A St (23) and Irwin St & 4th St (22).
- How many pedestrians were killed in San Rafael?
- 6 crashes killed someone in 228 reported pedestrian crashes in San Rafael from 2021–2026, and 30 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do pedestrians usually get hit in San Rafael?
- 57% involved a driver turning, 44% turning left. 65% of the people hit were in a crosswalk at an intersection. 13% were crossing away from a crosswalk. 29% happened after dark.
- When and where do pedestrian crashes happen in San Rafael, compared with California?
- Of 228 reported pedestrian crashes in San Rafael from 2021–2026: 29% (California: 42%) of crashes happened after dark. 1% (California: 35%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 13% (California: 27%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.). 9% (California: 6%) were on a wet road, as the report records it. The reports name something about the road itself in 4 crashes: a construction or repair zone (4).
- Which streets in San Rafael have the most pedestrian crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Third St (11), Mission Ave (11), Fourth St (11), Second St (10), Bellam Blvd (9). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- What time of day are pedestrians hit in San Rafael?
- The busiest hour for reported pedestrian crashes in San Rafael was 6 p.m. (California: 6 p.m.), and the busiest day was Thursday, 2021–2026.
- How many people walk to work in San Rafael?
- 4.5% of workers in San Rafael walk to work (California: 2.4%), and 5.6% take public transit. 8.7% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many pedestrian crashes happen in San Rafael each year?
- Reported pedestrian crashes with map locations: 2021: 28, 2022: 37, 2023: 44, 2024: 46, 2025: 38, 2026: 35. 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.