The 5 Most Dangerous Los Angeles Crosswalks (And What To Do If You’re Hit)

Los Angeles is a city of drivers, but it is also a city of walkers. Millions of people navigate its streets on foot every day. Unfortunately, this puts them at significant risk. Los Angeles has long recognized this danger, creating a “High Injury Network” (HIN)—a map of city streets where the highest number of severe and fatal traffic collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists occur.

While the entire HIN demands caution, certain intersections consistently stand out as hotspots for pedestrian accidents. These areas often share a dangerous combination of factors: wide, multi-lane roads, high-speed traffic, complex turning movements, poor visibility, and heavy foot traffic. At Walch Law, we have been helping Angelenos injured in pedestrian accidents for over 45 years. This guide highlights five examples of notoriously dangerous crosswalks in LA, explains why they are so risky, and tells you exactly what to do if you are hit. Call now to get started.

Disclaimer: This list is not an official ranking but a set of data-informed examples based on known crash factors and high-injury corridors. Dangerous conditions can exist at any intersection, and the city may have ongoing safety projects that alter these locations. All pedestrians should use caution citywide.

5 Examples of Perilous Pedestrian Crossings in LA

These intersections are case studies in how design, traffic, and human behavior can create a perfect storm for pedestrian injuries.

1. Hollywood Boulevard & Highland Avenue

This intersection is the heart of tourist LA, making it a chaotic mix of sightseers, commuters, and commercial vehicles. Pedestrians are often distracted by the Walk of Fame and surrounding attractions, while drivers are navigating one-way streets and looking for freeway on-ramps.

• Key Dangers: Massive tourist foot traffic, frequent mid-block crossings, turning conflicts from vehicles entering the 101 freeway, and large tour buses with significant blind spots. Nighttime activity adds drunk or tired drivers to the mix.

2. Sunset Boulevard & Vine Street

A classic Hollywood intersection, Sunset and Vine is also a prime example of a wide, multi-lane arterial road that is difficult for pedestrians to cross safely. The area’s vibrant nightlife means foot traffic is high well after dark.

• Key Dangers: Long crossing distances across multiple lanes, permissive left-turns where drivers may not see a pedestrian in the crosswalk, sun glare issues during sunrise and sunset, and high speeds on Sunset Blvd.

3. Sepulveda Boulevard & Victory Boulevard

Located in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, this intersection is a crossroads of two major, high-speed boulevards. It is designed to move a high volume of cars, often at the expense of pedestrian safety.

• Key Dangers: High vehicle speeds common in the Valley, extremely long crossing distances, right-on-red turns where drivers look left for cars but not right for pedestrians, and proximity to 405 freeway on/off-ramps which adds to driver confusion.

4. Figueroa Street near USC & Exposition Park

The Figueroa Corridor near USC is a hub of activity, with students, event-goers for the Coliseum and BMO Stadium, and museum visitors. This creates massive surges in foot traffic that conflict with the street’s design as a major north-south artery.

• Key Dangers: Sudden influxes of pedestrian traffic before and after events, a mix of scooters and bikes with pedestrians, multiple lanes of fast-moving traffic, and signal timing that may not be adequate for large crowds.

5. Venice Boulevard & Lincoln Boulevard

This major Westside junction funnels enormous amounts of traffic toward Venice Beach and Marina del Rey. The complex and often confusing merge of two major boulevards creates significant danger for anyone on foot.

• Key Dangers: Extremely high traffic volumes, confusing signal phasing for both drivers and pedestrians, multiple turning lanes, and drivers rushing to beat lights as they navigate the merge.

Why Are These Crossings So Dangerous? Common Factors

These intersections share a set of common risk factors that appear on dangerous roads across Los Angeles:

• “Multi-Threat” Scenarios: On multi-lane roads, one car may stop for a pedestrian, but in doing so, it blocks the view of a driver in the next lane who continues through the crosswalk, striking the pedestrian.
• Permissive Left Turns: Green-light left turns that do not have a dedicated arrow force drivers to find a gap in oncoming traffic, distracting them from seeing a pedestrian legally crossing with the walk signal.
• Short Walk Intervals: The “Walk” signal may not provide enough time for an elderly person, a person with a disability, or someone with small children to get all the way across the street before the “Don’t Walk” signal starts flashing.
• Faded Markings: Worn-out paint on crosswalks makes them less visible to drivers, especially at night or in the rain.
• Speeding and Distracted Driving: The number one cause of all accidents. Drivers who are speeding, texting, or otherwise not paying attention are a lethal threat in a complex urban environment.

What to Do if You Are Hit in a Crosswalk: A Step-by-Step Guide

The moments after an accident are chaotic, but the steps you take can protect your health and your legal rights.

1. Get Medical Care Immediately: Your health is the priority. Call 911 and allow paramedics to transport you to the hospital. This creates a medical record of your injuries.
2. Report the Incident: Make sure police respond and a Traffic Collision Report is created. Get the report number.
3. Document the Scene: If you are able, take photos and videos of everything: the car, the license plate, the street signs, the crosswalk markings, traffic signals, street lighting, and your injuries.
4. Get Witness Information: Get the names and phone numbers of anyone who saw what happened. They are independent proof of the driver’s fault.
5. Preserve Your Property: Do not throw away your torn clothing, broken glasses, or damaged shoes. They are evidence.
6. Request Video Footage: An attorney can send preservation letters to nearby businesses and official requests to LADOT for ATSAC traffic camera footage.
7. Do Not Give a Recorded Statement: The driver’s insurance company will call you and ask for a recorded statement. Politely decline and tell them your lawyer will contact them.
8. Contact an Attorney Immediately: Evidence disappears quickly. An experienced pedestrian accident lawyer can launch an immediate investigation to protect your claim.

Who is Liable in a Pedestrian Accident?

• The Driver: Drivers have a duty to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in a crosswalk. Even with California’s new “Freedom to Walk Act” (AB 2147), which decriminalized jaywalking in many situations, drivers are still responsible for exercising due care to avoid hitting a pedestrian.
• A Government Entity: If your accident was caused by a dangerous condition—like a broken sidewalk, a malfunctioning signal, or dangerously poor lighting—you may have a claim against the city or county. You must file a formal Government Claim within six months of the injury.
• Other Parties: If the driver was working for a rideshare company or was in a commercial vehicle, multiple layers of insurance may apply. If it was a hit-and-run, your own Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage can provide compensation.

Damages You Can Recover

A successful claim can provide compensation for:

• All medical bills (past, present, and future)
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
• Physical pain and emotional suffering
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Wrongful death damages for grieving families

Your Los Angeles pedestrian accident case can be worth a lot of money.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What if I was crossing outside the marked crosswalk?
You may still have a strong case. Drivers have a duty to avoid collisions regardless of where the pedestrian is. Under California’s comparative negligence rules, you can still recover damages, which would be reduced by your percentage of fault.

2. Who pays for my injuries in a hit-and-run?
Your own Uninsured Motorist (UM) insurance coverage would apply. It is crucial to have this coverage on your auto policy.

3. Do “pedestrian scrambles” (where all traffic stops) help?
Yes, studies show they can significantly reduce pedestrian accidents at intersections where they are implemented, but they are only used at a small number of locations.

4. How long do I have to file a lawsuit?
Generally, you have two years from the date of the accident. However, if a government entity is potentially at fault, you have only six months to file a Government Claim.

5. Will the insurance company try to blame me?
Almost always. Insurance adjusters are trained to find ways to shift blame to the pedestrian to reduce the value of the claim.

6. Do I need a lawyer if the driver’s insurance accepts fault?
Yes. Accepting fault is not the same as offering fair compensation. The best Los Angeles pedestrian accident lawyer will fight to ensure you are compensated for all your future medical needs and the full extent of your pain and suffering, not just the initial bills.

Walch Law: Fighting for LA Pedestrians

When you are hit by a car, you need an advocate who understands the dangers of LA’s streets and knows how to fight the insurance companies. The family at Walch Law has been representing injured pedestrians for over four decades. We know the local courts, we are experts on the tight government claim deadlines, and we are here to help you get the justice you deserve.

Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless and until we win your case. 1-844-999-5342