One intersection on South Figueroa Street logged 66 serious collisions between February 2021 and February 2025. That’s more than any other intersection in Los Angeles. The same corner, Figueroa and Slauson, saw 17 felony hit-and-runs. Seven pedestrians got hit in the crosswalks.1
We’d love to call that a one-off. It isn’t. Figueroa and Manchester ranked third citywide at 61 serious collisions.2
So a Figueroa Street car accident is rarely a fluke. The corridor has a pattern, and the pattern has causes you can name. This guide walks through each one, shows what the city is changing, and explains how fault generally works in California.
If you or someone you love was already injured on Figueroa, a free case review with an experienced car accident lawyer can help you figure out what comes next.
Key Takeaways
- Slauson is the top spot. Figueroa and Slauson had the most serious collisions of any LA intersection from Feb. 2021 to Feb. 2025.
- The risk runs along the street. Manchester ranked third citywide. LADOT counted 133 serious or fatal crashes on one 5.5-mile stretch over a decade.
- Design and speed feed each other. Wide lanes invite speeding. LADOT removed peak-hour lanes on that stretch to calm traffic.
- Freeway exits add pressure. Slauson sits one block from a 110 Freeway exit. Many of LA’s worst intersections share that trait.
- Hit-and-runs leave victims stranded. LAPD data shows about 1% of injury hit-and-runs end in an arrest.
- Cyclists face lane conflicts. Blocked lanes and right turns across bike lanes put riders in harm’s way.
- Help is coming, unevenly. LA’s first speed cameras switch on Oct. 26, 2026. Figueroa segments are on the list. Fault can be shared. California’s comparative fault rule can reduce compensation, so how a crash happened matters.
Why Is Figueroa Street So Dangerous?
Wide lanes, freeway-exit traffic, crowded intersections, hit-and-run drivers, and light enforcement all meet on this one road. Crosstown LA counted 66 serious collisions at Figueroa and Slauson in four years, the most in the city.1
Figueroa Street Car Accident Data
Here are the key numbers, with the time window for each:
| Stat | Location | Window |
|---|---|---|
| 66 serious collisions | Figueroa and Slauson | Feb. 2021 to Feb. 20251 |
| 17 felony hit-and-runs | Figueroa and Slauson | Feb. 2021 to Feb. 20251 |
| 7 pedestrians struck in crosswalks | Figueroa and Slauson | Feb. 2021 to Feb. 20251 |
| 61 serious collisions | Figueroa and Manchester | Feb. 2021 to Feb. 20252 |
| 133 serious or fatal collisions | S. Figueroa, MLK Blvd to Imperial Hwy | 2009 to 20193 |
| 7,500+ injury hit-and-runs a year; about 1% end in arrests | Citywide | 2022 to 20244 |
Two caveats: These numbers cover only crashes reported to the LAPD. And Crosstown’s window stops in February 2025 because the department’s public records portal developed reporting gaps following a system change.¹
No public source gives one yearly crash count for the whole street. So we won’t make one up.
Now let’s break down the six factors turning this South LA corridor into a daily hazard.
1. Wide Lanes Invite Speeding on Figueroa
Start with the pavement. A wide, multi-lane street tells drivers they have room to move. Many take it.
LADOT spotted this problem on South Figueroa. Between MLK Boulevard and Imperial Highway, the city swapped peak-hour travel lanes for permanent parking.
The department says the change calms high-speed traffic. It also cuts the number of lanes pedestrians must cross.5
Wide layouts tend to:
- Lengthen crosswalks, so people spend more time in traffic
- Give drivers room to weave and pass
- Shrink the time a driver has to react at speed
The LAPD puts speed first. Lt. Jesse Garcia of the West Traffic Division named “speed, stop signs, cell phone, red lights”1 as the top crash causes across the city.
LADOT adds that about one in five fatal crashes in LA in 2024 involved speeding.6
Downtown adds its own pressure at the north end of Figueroa. Event crowds, curb stops, and delivery trucks all crowd the street. We cover that stretch in our guide to why Downtown LA has so many car accidents.
2. Freeway Exits Drop Drivers Onto Figueroa Mid-Transition
South Figueroa runs close to the 110 Freeway, and that layout creates immediate danger. Crosstown noted that many of LA’s 20 worst intersections are near freeway exits. Figueroa and Slauson is one block from a 110 exit.1
Picture the seconds after a driver leaves the freeway. That driver has to:
- Drop out of freeway speed
- Read the signal ahead
- Scan the crosswalk for people
- Pick a lane
Some drivers handle all four. Others miss one, and that’s when crashes happen.
This setup tends to cause a few crash types:
- Rear-end collisions at the first red light
- Broadside crashes at crossings
- Failure-to-yield crashes during left turns
- Pedestrian strikes in crosswalks
These are common patterns. They’re not Figueroa-specific counts.
3. Four Figueroa Intersections Rank Among LA’s Worst
Crosstown’s top 20 includes Figueroa at Slauson and Manchester, plus Florence and Gage.7 One street holding four spots tells you the problem lives in the corridor, not in one bad corner.
Figueroa and Slauson
This crossing sits in the Vermont Slauson neighborhood of South LA. It leads the city with 66 serious collisions and 17 felony hit-and-runs.
Crosstown also counted five crashes it classed as severe, plus seven pedestrians struck in the crosswalks.1
A 110 Freeway exit is located one block away.
Figueroa and Manchester
Manchester came in third citywide with 61 serious collisions in the same four-year window.2
Crosstown did not name a cause for this corner, so we won’t guess at one.
Figueroa at Florence and Gage
Both crossings made the top 20.7
LADOT has also listed Figueroa from 62nd Street to Gage Avenue for a speed camera.
More on that below.
MLK Boulevard to Imperial Highway
LADOT treats this 5.5-mile stretch as a priority corridor. The city counted 133 serious or fatal collisions here between 2009 and 2019.3
Those numbers drive the safety projects now underway.
North Figueroa Through Highland Park
The trouble doesn’t stop at the 110. On one section of North Figueroa in Northeast LA, the LADOT counted 29 serious or fatal collisions over the same decade.8
The city has been rebuilding signals and crossings there.
4. Hit-and-Run Drivers Leave Figueroa Victims With Fewer Options
Hit-and-run crashes remain a persistent threat along South Figueroa Street. Slauson alone logged 17 felony cases in four years.1
Citywide, LAPD data shows more than 7,500 injury hit-and-runs a year from 2022 through 2024. Roughly 1% led to an arrest.4 Crosstown also found that parts of South LA carry an outsized share of hit-and-run deaths.9
Arrests are rare. When a driver flees, the injured person often ends up holding the bills.
Pedestrians Take the Worst of It
Seven pedestrians got hit in the Slauson crosswalks in four years.1 A person on foot has no airbag and no steel frame.
Even a low-speed hit can break bones, injure the brain, and cost months of recovery.
If this happened to you or a relative, our guide on what to do after being hit as a pedestrian covers the first steps. When a crash kills someone, the family may have a wrongful death claim.
What Uninsured Motorist Coverage Can Do
When a hit-and-run driver is never identified, your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage can sometimes apply. California requires insurers to offer it.
Policies differ, though, and reporting rules come into play.
This is general information, not advice. A pedestrian accident lawyer can explain how UM coverage fits a specific crash.
5. Cyclists Share Figueroa With Drivers Who Don’t Look
South LA has plenty of cyclists. Some drivers never check their mirrors before turning or changing lanes. That’s a risky pairing.
Protected Lanes Cover One Stretch
The MyFigueroa project added protected bike lanes, bike signals, and bus boarding islands between Downtown and Exposition Park.
That infrastructure protects riders along one stretch of the corridor. It leaves the rest of the street exposed.
How Lane Conflicts Cause Crashes
Even where protected lanes exist, a few conflicts keep causing crashes:
- A delivery truck or rideshare car parks in the bike lane, forcing a rider into the travel lane
- A driver turns right across the lane without checking their blind spots, causing a classic “right hook” crash
- A passenger opens a car door into a rider’s path (a dangerous hazard we cover further in our guide to e-bike and scooter accidents)
- A driver cuts across the lane to reach the curb
Some of these incidents involve app-based transport vehicles. Our page on rideshare accidents details how corporate insurance policies handle those claims.
Why Cyclist Cases Turn on Fault
When a bicyclist is injured, the other side often points to what the rider did. This is where California’s comparative fault rule comes into play (which we explain below).
If you were hurt on a bike, a bicycle accident lawyer can preserve evidence and review what happened.
6. Light Enforcement Gives Drivers Little Reason to Slow Down
Some safety advocates tie rising crashes to fewer traffic stops. Damian Kevitt, founder of Streets Are For Everyone, told Crosstown that a spike in traffic deaths tracks with a drop in police citations.1
That is his view, not a settled finding. A few other facts point the same way:
- Los Angeles had no city-owned red-light cameras as of Crosstown’s report.
- Kevitt says red-light cameras can cut collisions by as much as 30%.2
- California’s SB 720, signed in October 2025, should open the door to more of them.1
- A city audit found only half of the Vision Zero actions were ever completed.1
Enforcement alone won’t fix a road. Even so, drivers tend to slow down when they realize someone is actually watching.
What the City Is Doing About Figueroa Street
Los Angeles is finally making changes. Some upgrades are close to launching.
South Figueroa Safety Upgrades
On the 5.5-mile MLK to Imperial stretch, LADOT has installed:
- High-visibility zebra crosswalks
- Digital speed-feedback signs
- Leading pedestrian intervals that give pedestrians a head start before turning signals turn green
- Five pedestrian flashing beacons
- Three protected left-turn signals
- Four pedestrian refuge islands mid-street
- One pedestrian hybrid beacon
LADOT is also building out curb extensions at key corners. These sidewalk bump-outs shorten crossing distances for pedestrians and force drivers to take slower turns.5
Speed Cameras Start Oct. 26, 2026
LADOT’s pilot program will place 125 speed cameras citywide. The first ones turn on Oct. 26, 2026.6
Drivers going 11 mph or more over the limit get a 60-day warning period. After that, tickets start at $50.
LADOT’s lists show three Figueroa segments, each with a 35 mph limit:
- Figueroa from 85th Street to Manchester Avenue10
- Figueroa from 67th to 68th Street10
- Figueroa from 62nd Street to Gage Avenue11
All three still read “construction” when we checked. The city says all cameras should be active by the end of 2026.
We checked only two council districts’ lists, so other Figueroa segments may exist on other rosters.
A $6 Million Safe Streets Grant
In December 2024, LADOT won a $6 million Safe Streets grant. It covers Figueroa between Pico and Jefferson Boulevards, right near USC and Exposition Park.12
The federal funding supports semi-permanent street redesigns, expanded bike infrastructure, and traffic-calming measures ahead of upcoming major events.
These upgrades help. They also arrive one block at a time. And none of them help someone who got hurt last month.
Common Injuries After a Figueroa Street Car Accident
When cars collide or hit someone walking along South Figueroa, the physical impact is immediate and brutal.
Common injuries from crashes along this corridor include:
- Traumatic brain injuries when a driver or passenger hits their head on the steering wheel, side window, or pavement
- Spinal cord damage and slipped discs that cause long-term pain and take months of physical therapy to treat
- Broken bones in the legs, arms, or ribs that often require surgery and hardware to fix
- Soft-tissue damage like whiplash, torn ligaments, and muscle sprains
- Deep cuts and severe road rash from shattered glass or sliding across asphalt
Pedestrians and cyclists almost always take the brunt of these crashes. When you’re walking across Figueroa or riding in a bike lane, there are no airbags, seatbelts, or steel frames to cushion the blow.
How Driver Negligence and Road Conditions Affect Fault in California
When a driver breaks a traffic law or stops paying attention to the road, California law considers that behavior negligent.
Imagine a driver tapping out a text, running a red light, or speeding off the 110 off-ramp straight onto Slauson without looking.
In most Figueroa crashes, a driver’s choices start any talk about fault.
Shared Fault Can Reduce What You Recover
California follows a “pure comparative fault” rule. A person who is partly to blame can still recover compensation. The amount drops by their share of fault.
Let’s say a jury totals your medical bills, lost income, and pain at $100,000. If an investigation determines you were 20% at fault for stepping into a crosswalk just as the signal changed, your recovery drops by 20% ($20,000). You would receive $80,000.
Small details like phone use, lane position, and signal timing can sway those percentage points. And insurance adjusters dig for any excuse to assign you more blame.
Road Design Can Add Another Responsible Party
A dangerous condition on public property may contribute to some crashes. Think of a poorly timed signal or a confusing lane layout.
Claims against a city or other public agency follow separate steps and shorter deadlines than ordinary injury claims.
Whether a specific Figueroa signal or lane layout counts depends on the facts. Only an attorney can evaluate that.
California also sets a deadline, generally two years, to file most injury lawsuits. Timing matters.
To see how the recovery process works from start to finish, see our guide on claiming car accident compensation. You can also connect with our motor vehicle accident attorneys to learn how these rules apply to your case.
What to Do After a Figueroa Street Car Accident
If you get hit on Figueroa, these steps help protect your health and preserve key evidence:
- Move your car out of active traffic toward a side street or a well-lit parking lot near a nearby shop or gas station if possible, then ask for LAPD and paramedics right away.
- Report the crash. California law requires reporting any collision that causes an injury or fatality to law enforcement within 24 hours.13
- Snap clear photos of vehicle damage, license plates, lane markings, traffic signals, skid marks, and bike lane dividers.
- Get names and phone numbers from bystanders who saw what happened. Note nearby storefronts, fast-food restaurants, or Metro stations that might have security cameras pointed at the intersection.
- Visit an ER or urgent care right away, even if you feel fine. Adrenaline masks early symptoms of concussions, whiplash, or internal injuries.
- Submit Form SR-1 to the California DMV within 10 days if anyone was hurt or total property damage exceeded $1,000. You have to file this report regardless of who caused the wreck.13
- Talk to an attorney before giving recorded statements. Insurance adjusters often call quickly to capture a recorded interview. Speaking with a lawyer first helps protect your rights before you answer an adjuster’s questions.
For help with handling body shop estimates and vehicle repairs, see our guide to property damage claims.
FAQs About Figueroa Street Car Accidents
Why is Figueroa Street so dangerous for drivers?
Wide lanes invite speeding. Freeway exits feed drivers into busy intersections. Hit-and-runs are common, and enforcement is light. LADOT counted 133 serious or fatal crashes on one 5.5-mile stretch between 2009 and 2019.3
What is the most dangerous intersection on Figueroa Street?
Figueroa and Slauson Avenue. Crosstown LA counted 66 serious collisions there from February 2021 to February 2025, the most in Los Angeles.¹ Manchester Avenue ranked third citywide at 61.2
How many car accidents happen on Figueroa Street?
No public source gives one yearly count for the whole street. LADOT counted 133 serious or fatal crashes on a 5.5-mile stretch from 2009 to 2019.3 Crosstown counted 66 serious collisions at Slauson in four years.1 LAPD data covers reported crashes only.
What should you do after a car accident on South Figueroa Street?
Call 911. Report the crash to law enforcement within 24 hours if anyone is hurt. Photograph the scene and see a doctor. File an SR 1 with the DMV within 10 days if injury or more than $1,000 in damage is involved.13
What if the driver who hit you on Figueroa drove away?
Your own uninsured motorist coverage may apply, depending on your policy. Report the crash promptly. A lawyer can explain how coverage works in your situation.
Is Figueroa Street safe for cyclists?
It depends on the stretch. MyFigueroa added protected lanes between Downtown and Exposition Park. Parked vehicles and right turns still cause conflicts there. Other parts of the corridor have no such protection.
Figueroa’s Crash Pattern Is Not Random
Figueroa Street’s high crash rates don’t happen by accident. Wide lanes, complex freeway exits, crowded intersections, hit-and-run drivers, and light enforcement all keep the corridor dangerous.
The city is working on it. New beacons, refuge islands, and speed cameras are rolling out across the corridor. Until those safety upgrades go live everywhere, the street remains a high-risk zone for anyone walking, cycling, or driving.
If you have been hurt in a crash along Figueroa, you don’t have to sort out fault, insurance, and medical bills alone. Contact an experienced car accident lawyer at Insider Accident Lawyers for a free case review. Our legal team includes former insurance defense attorneys who know the strategies adjusters use to devalue injury claims.
Call (213) 371-5315, any time. Not sure you need a lawyer yet? Read when to hire a car accident lawyer in LA.
References
- Serrano, Audrey, and Gabriel Kahn. “The Most Dangerous Intersections in Los Angeles.” Crosstown, 15 Oct. 2025, https://xtown.la/2025/10/15/most-dangerous-intersections-in-los-angeles/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- Sternfield, Marc. “By the Numbers, These Are L.A.’s Most Dangerous Intersections.” KTLA, 16 Oct. 2025, https://digital-release.ktla.com/news/local-news/los-angeles-most-dangerous-intersections/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- “South Figueroa Street Safety Improvements.” LADOT Livable Streets, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, https://ladotlivablestreets.org/projects/south-figueroa. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- “Hit-and-Run Crashes Decline, Few Fleeing Drivers Are Caught, LAPD Data Shows.” NBC Los Angeles, 1 Apr. 2025, https://nbclosangeles.com/news/local/los-angeles-hit-and-run-crash-arrests-lapd-data/3666951. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- “Weekly Update: August 29, 2024.” LADOT News Blog, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, 29 Aug. 2024, https://ladot.lacity.gov/dotnews/weekly-update-august-29-2024. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- “Speed Safety System.” Los Angeles Department of Transportation, 2026, https://ladot.lacity.gov/speed-safety-system. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- “The Most Dangerous Intersections in Deadly LA, Injured Yaroslovsky Staffer ID’d, and Remembering Pepperdine PCH Victims.” Biking in LA, 17 Oct. 2025, https://bikinginla.com/2025/10/17/the-most-dangerous-intersections-in-deadly-la-injured-yaroslovsky-staffer-idd-and-remembering-pepperdine-pch-victims/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- “North Figueroa Street Safety Improvements.” LADOT Livable Streets, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, https://ladotlivablestreets.org/projects/north-figueroa. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- “Los Angeles Suffering From a Spike in Deadly Hit-and-Runs.” Crosstown, 25 Nov. 2024, https://xtown.la/2024/11/25/los-angeles-suffering-from-a-spike-in-deadly-hit-and-run-collisions/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- “Council District 8 Camera Systems.” Speed Safety System, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Sept. 2026, https://ladot.lacity.gov/sites/default/files/2026-09/sss-cd-8.pdf. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- “Council District 9 Camera Systems.” Speed Safety System, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Sept. 2026, https://ladot.lacity.gov/sites/default/files/2026-09/sss-cd-9.pdf. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- “Weekly Update: December 12, 2024.” LADOT News Blog, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, 12 Dec. 2024, https://ladot.lacity.gov/dotnews/weekly-update-december-12-2024. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
- “Financial Responsibility, Insurance Requirements, and Collisions.” California Driver’s Handbook, California Department of Motor Vehicles, https://dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/financial-responsibility-insurance-requirements-and-collisions. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
About the Author
Jerome Garo is a Legal Content Writer at Insider Accident Lawyers, where he turns personal injury law into clear, practical guidance for people recovering after an accident. He has written legal content for U.S. law firms and spent years writing/editing search-focused articles across tech, healthcare, finance, and other complex fields. With a background in communication, copyediting, and SEO, Jerome cuts through legal jargon and explains what readers need to know in plain English.
