According to California Highway Patrol data, there were 161,298 car crashes in California leading to injury or death in 2022. The crashes included 4,202 fatal crashes which led to 4,524 fatalities.
You can click here to see an interactive map of 2022’s fatal accidents in California.
While California has a lot of dangerous roads, such as Highway 99 and the Sierra Highway, the 10 most dangerous roads in California in 2022 were:
- I-15: San Bernardino County
- I-10: Riverside County
- I-5: San Diego County
- I-5: Orange County
- US-101: Santa Barbara County
- I-880: Alameda County
- State Route 4 in Contra Costa County
- I-10: Los Angeles County
- SR-178: Kern County
- US-101: Santa Clara County
1. I-15: San Bernardino County
This stretch of road saw 48 fatalities, 22 speeding fatalities and four drunk driving fatalities in 2022. This stretch saw the most fatal accidents out of any stretch of road.
The section of I-15 from Las Vegas to Los Angeles is considered one of the most dangerous sections of highway by the United States Department of Transportation. This stretch of road sees about 8 million drivers per year.
466 deaths occurred on I-15 over a period of 14 years, and around half of those killed weren’t wearing a seat belt. According to studies, impaired and distracted driving are responsible for many of the accidents seen on I-15.
2. I-10: Riverside County
This stretch of road saw 31 fatalities, and 12 speeding fatalities in 2022.
I-10 is an especially dangerous highway between Arizona and the border of California. However, it is also dangerous when it runs through cities in California like San Bernardino, Santa Monica and Los Angeles.
The I-10 is one of the deadliest roads in California partially because of high traffic volume. However, other factors like distracted drivers and speeding are also to blame. In addition, when drivers try to pass slower vehicles on this road, they sometimes have to deal with oncoming traffic.
3. I-5: San Diego County
This stretch of road saw 21 fatalities, seven speeding fatalities and two drunk driving fatalities in 2022.
Interstate 5 is one of California’s deadliest highways. This important freeway sees as many as one million drivers every day.
The complicated connections with numerous freeways can be frustrating and confusing for even California’s most experienced drivers. The I-5 features a very well-known intersection called “The Merge.” This intersection is famous for traffic and a quick decrease in lanes. This causes traffic to suddenly stop and leads to accidents.
4. I-5: Orange County
This stretch of road saw 16 fatalities, eight speeding fatalities and two drunk driving fatalities in 2022.
A good part of the I-5 is used for commuting between Los Angeles and San Francisco and little activities or scenery are offered for its travelers aside from desert, farmland, gas stations and restaurants. A lot of people speed on the I-5 because of its monotony. Collision risks are increased when impatient drivers make dangerous maneuvers to pass slow vehicles.
A lot of large trucks use the I-5 as well and this increases collision risks.
5. US-101: Santa Barbara County
This stretch of road saw 15 fatalities, four speeding fatalities and two drunk driving fatalities in 2022.
The US-101 is a road which is heavily-traveled and sees a high crash rate. Most years see over two accidents per mile on the 101.
This road traverses the entire west coast of the United States. Other particularly dangerous stretches of this road include the sections which run through San Jose and San Luis Obispo.
6. I-880: Alameda County
This stretch of road saw 14 fatalities, seven speeding fatalities and one drunk driving fatality in 2022.
The I-880 is a significant freeway which traverses the East Bay. It connects San Jose and Oakland. The road is known for frequent car accidents and heavy traffic. It can be especially dangerous at rush hour.
7. State Route 4 in Contra Costa County
This stretch of road saw 14 fatalities, one speeding fatality and one drunk driving fatality in 2022.
This is one of California’s deadliest highways. The road is considered dangerous by many due to speeding, sharp turns, steep bumps and tight lanes.
8. I-10: Los Angeles County
This stretch of road saw 14 fatalities, two speeding fatalities and one drunk driving fatality in 2022.
Drivers who drive on the I-10 face many dangers, including distracted drivers, congestion, poor road conditions and drunk drivers.
9. SR-178: Kern County
This stretch of road saw 13 fatalities, three speeding fatalities and three drunk driving fatalities in 2022.
This road passes through a canyon as a two-lane highway featuring a stretch of 15 miles with no passing allowed. The road features a windy path and drivers who sometimes speed, turn unsafely or pass vehicles illegally by crossing double yellow lines.
10. US-101: Santa Clara County
This stretch of road saw 13 fatalities, four speeding fatalities and four drunk driving fatalities in 2022.
This stretch of the US-101 saw 78 fatalities occur over a period of five years.
Most Dangerous Cities in California for Fatalities
California is a state known for its heavy traffic, so many cities in the state are dangerous to drive in. The most dangerous California cities to drive in, however, are:
- Sacramento
- Chula Vista
- Oakland
- San Jose
- Sacramento
- Stockton
- Long Beach
- Bakersfield
- San Diego
- Anaheim
- Los Angeles
- Riverside
- Fresno
- Santa Ana
- Irvine
1. Sacramento
Sacramento saw 677 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 50 fatalities, 3,564 injuries and 9.5 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
Drivers in Sacramento have to deal with numerous dangerous issues, such as speeding, traffic violations, aggressive driving and drunk drivers.
2. Chula Vista
Chula Vista saw 295 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw seven fatalities, 808 injuries and 2.55 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
The city contains places such as the H Street Corridor which are known for many accidents due to difficult to navigate traffic.
3. Oakland
Oakland saw 454 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 29 fatalities, 1,980 injuries and 6.64 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
Oakland is a particularly bad place to drive in for many reasons, including long average commutes, high gas prices and a high number of crashes leading to fatalities.
4. San Jose
San Jose saw 355 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 27 fatalities, 3,445 injuries and 2.78 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
It can be dangerous to be a driver in San Jose for many reasons, including the city featuring many different types of roads, the city’s high traffic volumes, car theft, varying road quality and rapid urban development.
5. San Francisco
San Francisco saw 401 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 33 fatalities, 3,241 injuries and 4.08 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
San Francisco features, busy, narrow streets. Collisions between vehicles and cyclists or pedestrians are common. Congestion is also an issue in the city.
6. Stockton
Stockton saw 446 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 29 fatalities, 1,425 injuries and 9.08 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
Drivers in Stockton need to deal with many dangers, including risky driving behaviors, reckless drivers and poor road conditions.
7. Long Beach
Long Beach saw 557 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 36 fatalities, 2,504 injuries and 8.01 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
Some of the more dangerous areas of Long Beach to drive in include Pine Avenue, Anaheim Street, 7th Street, Cherry Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway.
8. Bakersfield
Bakersfield saw 362 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 50 fatalities, 1,496 injuries and 12.1 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
One reason why Bakersfield is particularly dangerous to drive in is the Tule Fog, a thick fog which covers its roads at night and drastically obscures visibility.
9. San Diego
San Diego saw 412 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 82 fatalities, 5,725 injuries and 5.91 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
There are many reasons why San Diego can be a dangerous place to drive, including driver behavior, weather, traffic and road conditions.
10. Anaheim
Anaheim saw 616 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 23 fatalities, 2,098 injuries and 6.75 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
Anaheim’s drivers face numerous dangers, including distracted driving and rush-hour traffic.
11. Los Angeles
Los Angeles saw 282 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 336 fatalities, 10,760 injuries and 8.79 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
Many factors make Los Angeles a dangerous place to drive, including traffic, speeding, aggressive driving and infrastructure which is in disrepair.
12. Riverside
Riverside saw 564 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 33 fatalities, 1,799 injuries and 10.35 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
The city has numerous dangerous intersections, such as the intersection of Van Buren and Arlington and the intersection of Tyler and Magnolia.
13. Fresno
Fresno saw 289 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 40 fatalities, 1,575 injuries and 7.33 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
Fresno is another location where driving can be made very dangerous by the Tule Fog.
14. Santa Ana
Santa Ana saw 571 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw 18 fatalities, 1,772 injuries and 5.8 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
Santa Ana’s drivers face many dangers, including distracted driving, high speeds and rush-hour traffic.
15. Irvine
Irvine saw 224 traffic fatalities or injuries per 100,000 people in 2023. The city saw nine fatalities, 706 injuries and 2.86 fatalities per 100,000 people related to traffic accidents in 2023.
The city features many dangerous intersections, including the intersections of Jamboree and Walnut, Alton and Irvine Center, Irvine and Jeffrey, Barranca and Harvard, and Armstrong and McGaw.
Jeffrey Nadrich
Jeffrey Nadrich is a nationally-recognized California plaintiff’s personal injury attorney. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and UC Hastings College of the Law. He has successfully represented thousands of injury clients over the last 40 years.
