Crash Overview

Location Description 

Basswood Avenue and Valley Street are located in Carlsbad, California amidst multiple residential neighborhoods. This intersection is not far from Interstate 5 and multiple coastline beaches. The crash location is nearby at least five schools; Carlsbad High School is the closest school, as it is located directly next to where the collision occurred. Multiple parks are also a short distance from this intersection, including Buena Vista Reservoir Park and Hosp Grove Park. 

Crash Summary

• The crash at this location occurred around 5:45 p.m. on August 7, 2022. 
• A 42-year-old motorist collided with Christine and her daughter Delilah. Based on media coverage and accounts from local experts, it appears this happened as they were crossing Basswood and headed south on Valley.
• Christine was transported to a local hospital where she passed away the next day.
  • Her daughter Delilah, who was 16 months old at the time, was unharmed at the scene of the accident.   
• The speed limit on both Basswood Avenue and Valley Street is 25 miles per hour (mph). 
• Local contacts were not issued a copy of the crash report because they were not listed as parties in the collision.

Why was this crash nominated? 

• Basswood Avenue features two wide through traffic lanes with unmarked parallel parking on both sides; this may make the area somewhat unusual to navigate for motorists and cyclists. 
• This intersection is directly next to a high school and marked with school crossing signs. If we expect young people to navigate this area, they should be able to do it without fear of harm.
• Strong Towns believes this crash and the historical issues with speeding in this area both exemplify the importance of design speed as a component of traffic safety. 

What additional information is available? 

• A diagram to assist you with visualizing and understanding the measurements of the crash location.
• A folder containing the speed study and processed speed data.
• Carlsbad Safety Heat Map
• Carlsbad Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)

• Carlsbad Diagram.pdf200 KB