Miller & Steele Law Firm an elite San Diego Personal Injury Law Firm has released a new countywide analysis ranking the 15 most crash prone intersections in San Diego County, using California Crash Reporting System data from 2021 through 2025. The study found that while the city of San Diego accounted for nearly 37 percent of all intersection crashes countywide, the highest concentration of repeat crashes appeared at individual locations in communities including Escondido, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Chula Vista, and the Otay Mesa area.

Key Findings

• Nearly 37 percent of all intersection crashes in San Diego County occurred in the city of San Diego. About 12 percent occurred in Oceanside, 11 percent in Chula Vista, and 10 percent in Escondido.

• The county’s highest ranked location was Camino De La Plaza and Interstate 5 (Southbound), which recorded 32 crashes, 13 injuries, and one death over the five year study period.

• College Boulevard and Oceanside Boulevard ranked second by crash count, with 27 crashes, but recorded the highest injury total in the ranking at 31.

• Six of the top 15 intersections were in Escondido, five were in Oceanside, two were in Carlsbad, one was in Chula Vista, and one was in San Diego.

• Two intersections recorded fatalities during the study period, Camino De La Plaza and Interstate 5 (Southbound), and Mission Avenue and Centre City Parkway. Ash Street and Valley Parkway in Escondido also stood out for three pedestrian involved crashes.

The findings point to a countywide collision pattern that is not explained by city size alone. Although San Diego recorded the largest overall share of intersection crashes, only one city intersection placed in the top 15, suggesting crashes there are spread across a wider network rather than concentrated at a small number of high risk nodes. By contrast, Escondido and Oceanside showed a sharper clustering effect at specific intersections.

“This pattern suggests transportation planners should look beyond raw citywide totals and focus on whether crashes are being concentrated at a small set of repeat locations,” said a Lead Data Analyst involved in the study. “When the same intersections appear again and again, that often signals a design, traffic flow, or conflict point issue that deserves closer review.”

The study also highlighted the mix of roadway environments involved. The top ranked Camino De La Plaza and Interstate 5 (Southbound) interchange sits near the Otay Mesa border crossing, an area used by commercial truck traffic, cross border travelers, and commuters. The report notes that high traffic volume and speed differences between highway and surface street movements may contribute to elevated crash risk there.

A Senior Research Strategist added, “The data indicates a shift in how local risk should be framed. The most important question is not only which city has the most crashes, but where repeated collisions may be tied to merging behavior, signal timing, pedestrian exposure, or interchange complexity.”

Why This Matters

The release arrives as intersection safety remains a practical public safety issue for drivers, pedestrians, local agencies, and infrastructure planners. The report notes that one of the listed locations, the State Route 78 (Westbound) and Interstate 5 interchange in Oceanside, is already part of a planned improvement effort led by SANDAG, Caltrans, and the Federal Highway Administration. That connection gives the ranking relevance beyond public awareness, because it offers a data based snapshot of where engineering, enforcement, and driver education measures may have the greatest local impact.

Methodology

The ranking was compiled using California Crash Reporting System data covering 2021 through 2025. Crashes occurring within 100 feet of intersecting roads were counted, and intersections were ranked by total crashes, with injury totals used as a tie breaker. Source: Miller & Steele Law Firm study page, “The Most Dangerous Intersections in San Diego County.”

About Miller & Steele Law Firm

Miller & Steele Law Firm is a premier personal injury law firm based in Carlsbad, serving clients in matters involving car accidents, truck accidents, wrongful death, premises liability, and related injury claims. The firm presents itself as a trial focused practice representing injured individuals and families across North County and the greater San Diego region.

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