From Drunk Driving to Blocked Driveways: An Analysis of Driving Related Crimes in Sacramento

safety | April 3, 2021

A 2019 study ranked Sacramento as the fifth-worst city in America when it came to its drivers, but are we really that bad here? If so, where?

In 2020, the Sacramento Police Department received 6,168 calls in driver-related crimes, including hit-and-run accidents, drunk driving, reckless driving, and driveway blocking. Out of those:

  • 1,839 calls were for hit and runs
  • 793 calls were for drunk drivers
  • 2,601 calls were for reckless driving
  • 935 calls were for vehicles blocking driveways

Which neighborhoods in Sacramento ranked the highest in these driver-related crimes? We dug into the data to find out.

According to the data, Valley Hi/North Laguna made up the most driver-related crimes in Sacramento (430), followed by Meadowview (394) and Old North Sacramento (249). Together, the three neighborhoods made up 17 percent of all driver-related crimes in Sacramento. We found that most of the neighborhoods that ranked in high driver-related crimes have generally high crime rates, such as Del Paso Heights (136) and South Hagginwood (132), are in proximity to Downtown Sacramento, or are known to be cultural hubs with bustling nightlife, such as East Sacramento (169) and Midtown (159). However, areas like Natomas (74) and Pocket (63) – with lower crime rates – don’t fit the mold, but they still ranked in the top 30 neighborhoods.

Sacramento Driver-Related Crime Reports by Neighborhood

Rank Neighborhood Total
1 Valley Hi / North Laguna 430
2 Meadowview 394
3 Old North Sacramento 249
4 East Sacramento 213
5 South Natomas 205
6 East Del Paso Heights 169
7 Midtown / Winn Park / Capital Avenue 159
8 Parkway 146
9 Del Paso Heights 136
10 Land Park 133
11 South Oak Park 132
12 South Hagginwood 132
13 Downtown 123
14 Robla 116
15 Hagginwood 115
16 Central Oak Park 114
17 Old Sacramento 107
18 RP – Sports Complex 102
19 North Oak Park 83
20 Gardenland 82
21 Glenwood Meadows 74
22 Natomas Crossing 74
23 South Land Park 71
24 Gateway West 69
25 Curtis Park 65
26 Greenhaven 65
27 Fruitridge Manor 65
28 Mansion Flats 64
29 Pocket 63
30 College/Glen 60

Hit and Run Reports

In 2020, the Sacramento Police Department received a total of 1,839 hit and run reports – 30 percent of all driver-related crimes in Sacramento. This includes both felony and misdemeanor hit and run accidents. If a hit and run accident causes an injury, requiring medical aid, or a death, it will be charged as a felony. If it damages property under a certain amount, it is a misdemeanor.

Out of the hit and runs reported, a little over a fourth (473) resulted in injuries. The majority (62 percent) of the reports were misdemeanor hit and run report referrals – used for statistical purposes, general tracking, and providing information to city traffic engineers.

hit and run map

 

Valley Hi/North Laguna had the most hit and run reports (164) of Sacramento – making up 38 percent of all calls in that area. Interestingly, neighborhoods that are known for overall higher rates of crime in Sacramento also had high reports of hit and run accidents: South Hagginwood (55), Midtown (45), Old North Sacramento (60), Gardenland (42), and Downtown Sacramento (38), to name a few. Yet, South Natomas (88), one of the safest neighborhoods in Sacramento, ranked as number 3 and made up 43 percent of calls in that area.

Sacramento Hit and Run Reports by Neighborhood

Rank Neighborhood Hit and Run Percent of All Calls
1 Valley Hi / North Laguna 164 38%
2 Meadowview 97 25%
3 South Natomas 88 43%
4 East Sacramento 61 29%
5 Old North Sacramento 60 24%
6 Parkway 57 39%
7 South Hagginwood 55 42%
8 Midtown / Winn Park / Capital Avenue 45 28%
9 Gardenland 42 51%
10 Downtown 38 31%
11 Hagginwood 36 31%
12 South Oak Park 35 27%
13 Fruitridge Manor 33 51%
14 College/Glen 31 52%
15 Land Park 29 22%
16 Central Oak Park 27 24%
17 Robla 27 23%
18 Ben Ali 27 48%
19 East Del Paso Heights 26 15%
20 Del Paso Heights 24 18%
21 Curtis Park 23 35%
22 South Land Park 23 32%
23 Southern Pacific / Richards 23 48%
24 North Oak Park 21 25%
25 Mansion Flats 21 33%

Where Are Drunk Drivers Reported Most Often in Sacramento?

When it comes to drunk driving, we’d expect a higher number of reports in Downtown Sacramento or other areas with bars, nightlife, and more reckless abandon. But while Downtown Sacramento ranked in the top ten, to our surprise, it didn’t turn out to be the neighborhood with the most drunk driver reports.

drunk drivers map

The Sacramento Police Department received 793 reports of drunk driving in 2020, a little over 10 percent of all driver-related crimes. Valley Hi/North Laguna, which already ranked number one in hit and run reports, also turned out to have the most drunk driving reports (45) of all the Sacramento neighborhoods. East Sacramento (36) and Midtown (30), both known for their late-night scenes, came in next. Downtown Sacramento had 29 drunk driving incidents reported, making up 24 percent of all calls in the neighborhood. Surprisingly, South Natomas (31) – known for its safe environment, parks, and green spaces – ranked number four.

Sacramento Drunk Driver Reports by Neighborhood

Rank Neighborhood Drunk Driver Percent of All Calls
1 Valley Hi / North Laguna 45 10%
2 East Sacramento 36 17%
3 Meadowview 31 8%
4 South Natomas 31 15%
5 Midtown / Winn Park / Capital Avenue 30 19%
6 Downtown 29 24%
7 Parkway 24 16%
8 Old North Sacramento 18 7%
9 South Hagginwood 15 11%
10 Robla 15 13%
11 Land Park 14 11%
12 South Land Park 14 20%
13 Gardenland 14 17%
14 Central Oak Park 13 11%
15 Curtis Park 13 20%
16 Mansion Flats 13 20%
17 Newton Booth 11 21%
18 East Del Paso Heights 11 7%
19 North City Farms 11 22%
20 College/Glen 11 18%
21 Natomas Crossing 11 15%
22 Fruitridge Manor 11 17%
23 Z’berg Park 11 27%
24 Boulevard Park 10 20%
25 Glen Elder 10 29%

Reckless Driving

Reckless driving made up 42 percent of all driver-related-crimes in Sacramento – or 2,601 reports. In California, reckless driving is legally defined as driving “in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.” Reckless driving, such as driving 15 mph over the speed limit or neglecting traffic lights, brings a dangerous element to an already unpredictable environment. Most of the time, it’s hard to miss.

reckless drivers map

In 2020, Sacramento Police received the most reckless driving reports from Meadowview (238), making up 60 percent of all calls in that neighborhood. It isn’t surprising that Valley Hi/North Laguna – the neighborhood with the highest hit and run and drunk driving reports – also turned up with a significant number of reckless driving reports (190). Old Sacramento (90) – popular with the college crowd and tourists – made up 84 percent of all calls in that area, while the generally safe Natomas Crossing (43) made up 58 percent. It also turns out that the people of South Natomas (62) and Pocket (34) – two of the safest neighborhoods in Sacramento – ranked in the top 25 and are a lot less cautious when it comes to their driving.

Sacramento Reckless Driver Reports by Neighborhood

Rank Neighborhood Reckless Driver Percent of All Calls
1 Meadowview 238 60%
2 Valley Hi / North Laguna 190 44%
3 Old North Sacramento 120 48%
4 East Del Paso Heights 116 69%
5 Old Sacramento 90 84%
6 Del Paso Heights 88 65%
7 RP – Sports Complex 79 77%
8 East Sacramento 78 37%
9 Land Park 68 51%
10 Robla 63 54%
11 South Natomas 62 30%
12 Glenwood Meadows 55 74%
13 Parkway 46 32%
14 Downtown 46 37%
15 South Hagginwood 43 33%
16 Natomas Crossing 43 58%
17 Hagginwood 42 37%
18 South Oak Park 40 30%
19 Greenhaven 39 60%
20 Gateway West 37 54%
21 Pocket 34 54%
22 Central Oak Park 32 28%
23 West Del Paso Heights 29 54%
24 North Oak Park 28 34%
25 South Land Park 28 39%

Vehicles Blocking Driveways

Have you ever found yourself rushing to your car, only to find that you have no way out of your driveway? Someone is blocking your driveway with his or her vehicle – completely disregarding your property and the law. We understand what a pain that can be, and wanted to find out where it happened the most. In Sacramento, 935 people called the police to report this in 2020.

Drivers blocking driveways map

It turns out that of the 935 total blocked driveway reports, Midtown ranked number 1. The people of Midtown – the historical district, east of downtown – called the police 65 times last year for blocked driveways, making up 41 percent of all calls in that area. South Oak Park (54) and Old North Sacramento (51) weren’t far behind. All three neighborhoods share thriving restaurant industries – likely inviting crowds of people at once. Valley Hi/North Laguna (28) ranks in the top ten, for this crime as well. South City Farms had 15 calls on the issue but made up 75 percent of all calls in that neighborhood.

Blocked Driveways in Sacramento by Neighborhood

Rank Neighborhood Blocking Driveway Percent of All Calls
1 Midtown / Winn Park / Capital Avenue 65 41%
2 South Oak Park 54 41%
3 Old North Sacramento 51 20%
4 Central Oak Park 42 37%
5 East Sacramento 38 18%
6 Marshall School 34 58%
7 Valley Hi / North Laguna 31 7%
8 Meadowview 28 7%
9 Hagginwood 28 24%
10 North Oak Park 28 34%
11 South Natomas 24 12%
12 Land Park 22 17%
13 Curtis Park 22 34%
14 Del Paso Heights 21 15%
15 Newton Booth 21 40%
16 Boulevard Park 21 43%
17 Parkway 19 13%
18 South Hagginwood 19 14%
19 East Del Paso Heights 16 9%
20 Richmond Grove 16 33%
21 North City Farms 16 32%
22 Southside Park 16 41%
23 Mansion Flats 15 23%
24 Noralto 15 26%
25 South City Farms 15 75%

Data Sources and Takeaways

Driving in Sacramento’s busiest areas can be taxing, but remember to obey the rules of the road and to consider other drivers’ safety. This data shows that our choices on the road impact others every day, in small and significant ways. While driving, focus on controlling what you can control:

  • Drive the speed limit.
  • Leave early, so you don’t feel anxious or rushed.
  • If you are intoxicated, choose not to drive. Call an Uber, Lyft, or a friend.
  • Park legally. Do not park your vehicle in someone else’s driveway to save time; it’s a hassle for the other person and for you when you get ticketed.
  • If you get into an accident, resist the urge to run; hit and runs are a crime. Have the courage to face what happened, instead of having the police find out you were involved later.

This data includes all calls for service received by the Sacramento Police Department in 2020, related to driving behavior. If you are interested in republishing the data, interactive elements, or images included above, please provide credit by linking to this page.