The crash was reported at approximately 5 p.m. near Santa Barbara Road.
Berkeley, CA – A 76-year-old Berkeley man was injured Wednesday evening after his vehicle crashed into a tree on Marin Avenue in the Berkeley Hills, according to authorities.
The crash was reported at approximately 5 p.m. near Santa Barbara Road.
Police said the man was alone in his vehicle when it struck a tree on a steep section of the roadway.
Berkeley Fire Department crews responded and used hydraulic rescue equipment to extricate the driver from the vehicle. Officers said the man appeared disoriented and confused at the scene but was able to communicate with first responders.
The driver sustained injuries believed to be minor and was transported to Highland Hospital for treatment.
Marin Avenue was temporarily closed between Spruce Street and Santa Barbara Road during the rescue.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Traffic collisions in Berkeley remain a persistent public safety issue despite the city’s Vision Zero commitment to eliminate fatalities and severe injuries by 2028. In 2024, Berkeley recorded 4 traffic fatalities — a significant increase from zero in 2023 — along with a six-year high of 564 injury collisions. Total reported crashes stayed relatively stable in recent years. Unsafe speed continues as the leading primary collision factor, with intersections like Ashby and San Pablo avenues seeing the highest number of incidents and injuries. Pedestrians and bicyclists face disproportionate risks, often involving older drivers or impaired parties. Although serious or fatal outcomes represented about 13% of injury crashes in recent years, the rebound in injury collisions post-pandemic underscores the need for accelerated infrastructure improvements, enforcement, and awareness efforts to meet Vision Zero goals.
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