High-Risk Pasadena Roadways: Why Some Streets Are More Dangerous Than Others

With over 138,000 people, Pasadena is the largest city in the San Gabriel Valley. It should come as no surprise that its streets see plenty of bumper-to-bumper traffic, traffic jams during rush hour, and avoidable collisions. However, crash reports tell a story. They show that while Pasadena’s accident numbers may be high, most of those accidents happen on the same few streets. Working with a Pasadena car accident attorney after a crash can help you fight for fair compensation.
The team at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri, LLP helps accident victims throughout Southern California fight for fair and full compensation. Senior partner Ernest P. Algorri has spent his entire career representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases, helping clients secure fair compensation for injuries caused by car accidents, slips and falls, construction accidents, and defective products. If you’ve been injured and you don’t know how to get the compensation you are rightfully owed, our car accident law firm in Southern California can help. Call us at 855-WINNING (946-6464) to learn more.
Pasadena Collision Data and What It Tells Us
The city of Pasadena maintains a constantly changing dataset of traffic collisions. It pulls data from police reports to document where accidents happen, when they occur, and the behavior of all involved parties.
Perhaps one of the most surprising facts to come out of this data is that only a handful of Pasadena streets account for the majority of the city’s collisions. This is no surprise for car accident lawyers, who see certain dangerous streets cause accident after accident every single year. Many of these roads are key arteries for commuters and tourist activity, so they’re a crucial part of life in Pasadena. However, they are also prone to congestion and driver error.
Pasadena’s High-Risk Roads and Intersections
Where are Pasadena’s most dangerous roads? Here are just a few that see most of the city’s accidents:
- Colorado Boulevard: Listed in a staggering 6.97% of all Pasadena traffic accidents, Colorado Boulevard is at the heart of the city. It is home to Old Pasadena, the city’s business district that’s full of shops, restaurants, and other attractions. The heavy foot traffic seen in this area, combined with the ever-present traffic, make it a natural spot for collisions to occur.
- Lake Avenue: Lake Avenue is listed in nearly 5.5% of all Pasadena accidents. Because of its location, it is an important commercial corridor and commercial route. This makes it a hotspot for speeding, aggressive or reckless driving, and sudden stops. These issues lead to rear-end and side-impact collisions that endanger residents’ and visitors’ lives.
- Fair Oaks Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard: Both of these streets show up in accident reports over and over, listed in 6.5% and 5.8% of crash reports in Pasadena respectively. These historic roadways see a mix of local traffic and regional commuters passing through. The frequent intersections along these streets increase the risk of accidents caused by failure to yield, especially when drivers are distracted.
- I-210 interchanges: I-210 brings substantial traffic into Pasadena. Those leaving Pasadena and attempting to merge onto the highway are at risk of merging accidents along the route’s many exits.
Why Some Roads Are More Dangerous
City planners strive to create safe roads that reduce accident risks and keep residents safe—so why does Pasadena have a handful of unusually risky streets? There are several factors your car accident lawyer may consider.
First, roads that see thousands of cars every single day are going to have higher car accident rates than streets with light to moderate traffic. Speeding and aggressive driving are also important factors that contribute to dangerous Pasadena roads. Long routes, such as Lake Avenue, are dotted with stoplights—and every stoplight is a place where drivers may fail to yield, look down at their phone and fail to see a red light, or attempt to rush through on a yellow and misjudge.
Road design is another important factor. Some roads have wide lanes, carefully planned bicycle lanes and sidewalks, and proper sign usage can reduce accident rates. As a driver, it is crucial that you limit your unsafe driving behaviors, be aware of the dangerous spots in Pasadena, and engage in defensive driving.
Start Your Pasadena Car Accident Claim
Our car accident law firm is committed to helping you pursue fair compensation after a crash. Schedule a consultation with one of our car accident attorneys by reaching out online or calling us at 855-WINNING (946-6464).

Mark Algorri has successfully represented individuals and their families in matters involving serious and catastrophic injuries, insurance claims denials, and wrongful deaths, achieving a success rate of 99 percent for our clients.