ClickCease The top five most dangerous intersections in San Francisco

The top five most dangerous intersections in San Francisco

Most of San Francisco’s traffic accidents happen at intersections. Intersection car accidents continue to be an issue despite the city’s large investment in red light cameras and other safety measures. The majority of San Francisco’s most dangerous intersections appear to have a problem with signal timing and biker-vehicle crashes.

Here are the top five most dangerous intersections in San Francisco:

No. 5 Valencia Street and Duboce Avenue

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Problem: biker hazard

2009-2011 injury crashes: 18

This intersection has had the same number of accidents for the past three years. Approximately 45 percent of the crashes involve bikers. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is working on better aligning pedestrian lights with intersection clearance times to prevent bikers from being hit by drivers attempting to beat the light.


No. 4 Mission/Otis and 13th streets

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Problem: unknown

2009-2011 injury crashes: 19

The SFMTA is still investigating why this intersection has had consistently high traffic accident rates for the past two years. In November 2011, it changed the traffic light timing in hopes of reducing crashes.


No. 3 Fell Street and Masonic Avenue

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Problem: biker hazard

2009-2011 injury crashes: 20

Almost half of the crashes at this intersection last year involved cars hitting bikers. The primary problem is westbound Fell Street cars hitting Panhandle path bikers while making left turns.


No. 2 Harrison and 4th streets

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Problem: traffic signal timing

2009-2011 injury crashes: 24

2010 crashes: 13

2011 crashes: 2

This intersection was markedly safer in 2011 than in 2010, but it still has the second-highest three-year crash rate in San Francisco. Poor traffic signal timing and unclear traffic lane signs caused a series of broadsides and sideswipes in 2009 and 2010. The SFMTA made improvements to the intersection and the traffic accident rate dropped from 13 in 2010 to only two in 2011.


No. 1 Market Street and Octavia Boulevard

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Problem: biker hazard

2009-2011 injury crashes: 30

2011 injury crashes: 13

Despite being redesigned in 2004, this intersection remains the most dangerous intersection in the city. The primary crash pattern involves cyclists being hit by people making illegal turns from Market Street onto the freeway.