A recent report from personal injury law firm Jacoby & Meyers revealed new insights into the frequency, severity and geography of vehicle crashes at intersections in the city of Santa Cruz.
According to the report, Santa Cruz’s intersection crash rate is 41.89%, which is 12.73% higher than the average of all other studied California cities. Additionally, 2.7% of those crashes resulted in deaths, making Santa Cruz’s fatality rate 15.38% higher than average. The seemingly heightened intensity of Santa Cruz intersection crashes is even more visible in the city’s serious injury rate of 14.7%, 59.78% higher than average.
In addition to the qualitative data analysis, the report included a list of the 10 most dangerous Santa Cruz intersections based on accident frequency and severity between 2020 and 2024. The list:
- 1. Highway 1 and Highway 9
- 2. Pacific Avenue and Beach Street
- 3 (tie). Bay Street and Escalona Avenue
- 3 (tie). Beach Street and Cliff Street
- 5. Seabright Avenue & Broadway Street
- 6 (tie). Broadway Street and Roberts Street
- 6 (tie). Goss Avenue and Market Street
- 6 (tie). Laurel Street and Center Street
- 6 (tie). Bay Drive and Meder Street
- 10. Highway 1 and Western Drive
The intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 9 saw 11 recorded crashes in five years, closely followed by Pacific Avenue and Beach Street with eight crashes.
Results were drawn through analysis of crash data taken from the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), which was cleaned and geocoded by the Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS). The dataset excluded minor incidents without reported injuries. The report suggests that these risks can be addressed through “better traffic control, clearer signage and pedestrian-focused safety enhancements.”
Read the full report here.
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