California has been a major center of car culture since the first gasoline-powered motor vehicles hit the streets in the late 19th century. In regions such as Southern California, climate conditions and the urban development phenomenon known as sprawl got in the way of establishing public transportation networks, so cars became essential for getting around. Unfortunately, car culture and suburban sprawl have not been beneficial for pedestrians in California.

Although the Golden State does not have the highest pedestrian fatality rate in the United States, statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for 2021 indicated that it had the most pedestrian deaths resulting from road traffic accidents. The 1,108 deaths reported by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) of the NHTSA in 2021 are considerably higher than those of other populous states such as Florida, New York, and Texas.

With all the above in mind, the California cities listed below are particularly dangerous for pedestrians based on the FARS deaths for 2021. Please note that FARS organizes data by county; so, in the case of Anaheim, it also includes pedestrian fatalities in the rest of Orange County.

Los Angeles

With 295 pedestrians killed in 2021, the City of Angels is an unfortunate example of how car culture in SoCal got in the way of developing safe areas for people to walk around. The deaths are not concentrated around the downtown districts; they happen all across Los Angeles County, some on city streets, suburban areas, commercial strips, and exurban roads.

Now, if we look at the various spots around L.A. where most pedestrians are involved in road traffic accidents, we can see that certain traffic corridors are more dangerous than others. While these spots register a higher rate of pedestrian accidents, they are not necessarily the deadliest. We are talking about intersections such as Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, which are often packed with tourists. Some stretches of Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue are also dangerous because of their wider roads, higher speed limits, and narrow sidewalks.

San Diego

America’s Finest City is the second most dangerous for pedestrians in California with 103 fatalities in 2021. According to organizers from Families for Safe Streets San Diego, an advocacy group for public safety, dangerous pedestrian crossings such as Mira Mesa Boulevard and Black Mountain Road, which are in a suburban district, are part of the “Fatal 15” spots where pedestrians could benefit from countdown signals, audible guidance, and more visible crosswalks.

San Bernardino and Riverside

These two cities in the Inland Empire reported a combined 164 pedestrian facilities according to the aforementioned FARS statistics in 2021. Many of the pedestrian deaths in these parts of California happen at night and in the hours before dawn. Some residents complain about the high rates of traffic lawlessness in the corridors south of the chaotic I-10 freeway.

Sacramento

Even though urban development in NorCal has paid greater attention to pedestrian traffic, cities such as Sacramento register high fatality rates. In 2021, there were 71 pedestrian deaths in the city, many of them around the intersection between San Juan Road and Airport Road in the North Natomas district.

Oakland

Another busy urban area that has seen it’s share of pedestrian accidents is the city of Oakland. With 52 serious injuries and fatalities to pedestrians in 2022, the streets continue to be dangerous for walkers. The city is now working to make safety improvements such as the project along High Street, which includes speed bumps, concrete islands and flashing pedestrian signs at crosswalks.

Anaheim

This Orange County city is notorious for hit-and-run accidents with pedestrians as victims. In early 2024, four pedestrians were struck on the same day near the Anaheim Convention Center. The four victims were hit in two separate accidents; one died while two others were taken to nearby medical centers. Six weeks later, two teenagers on their way to school were struck by a speeding vehicle that jumped the curb and drove on the sidewalk along State College Boulevard