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Worst & Most Dangerous Intersections In San Francisco

The Most Dangerous Intersections In San Francisco

Not all intersections are created the same. The City if San Francisco conducted a study (full text is available here) to look at which are the most dangerous (for the years 2006 and 2007) and came up with the following list, which I have altered slightly to take into account both 2006 and 2007 accidents. The Chronicle made an excellent online map:

  1. Oak Street & Octavia (21 reported injury accidents over a two year period)
  2. Gough Street & Market (17 injury accidents)
  3. 19th Avenue & Sloat (15 injury accidents)
  4. 13th & South Van Ness Ave. (13 injury accidents)
  5. 6th & Market (13 injury accidents)
  6. Octavia & Market (13 injury accidents)
  7. 19th Ave. & Junipero Serra (13 injury accidents)
  8. Bayshore Blvd. & Silver Avenue (13 injury accidents)
  9. 10th Street & Fell St. / Pol St. (11 injury accidents)
  10. 13th St. & Mission (10 injury accidents)
  11. 6th St. & Howard (10 injury accidents)

For the year 2007, there were a total of 3021 injury collisions in San Francisco, with some eye-opening facts:

  • Roughly 1 out of every 4 accidents involved a pedestrian.
  • Yet pedestrians make up 57% of the fatalities in that same period.
  • Surprising, bicyclists were involved in 15% of the injury accidents in 2007, but account for only 2% of the fatalities.
  • 50% of the injury accidents involved cars hitting other cars, which also accounted for 50% of the fatalities.

Most Common Ways For Pedestrians To Be Injured

  • 27% of the pedestrian injury accidents occurred when a car was making a left turn (presumably when the drivers were looking at oncoming traffic rather than at the crosswalk)
  • 10% of the pedestrian injury accidents happened when a driver was making a right turn.
  • 6% of the pedestrian injury accidents took place when the driver was backing up.

The bottom line is that San Francisco is a dangerous place for cars and pedestrians, but especially pedestrians. If you have been in a pedestrian accident, contact a personal injury attorney.

**** UPDATE - April 27, 2010

The San Francisco Chronicle ran a story this morning pointing out that, although Gough Franklin are very dangerous streets, the housing prices there have not fallen, and the inherent danger to pedestrians has done nothing to prices there.

Also, check out my post regarding dangerous intersections/streets in Oakland.

Pete Clancy is a personal injury attorney with offices in Oakland, San Jose and Walnut Creek. He is a partner with the law firm of Clancy & Diaz and can help you if you have been injured in a pedestrian accident. He can be reached by email ([email protected]) or by phone.