By Sami Sedghani, Pharm.D., J.D. · Synergist Law, P.C. · San Rafael, California · Updated October 28, 2026
This page provides general information about California law and local procedures as they apply to injuries in Larkspur. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case depends on its own facts. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed California attorney.
A Larkspur personal injury lawyer sees two patterns in the County’s collision data. The first is bicycles: 37 percent of Larkspur’s injury collisions on its main streets from 2017 through 2021 involved a bicyclist, almost double the countywide share of 19 percent. The second is how badly pedestrians are hurt. Over the ten years from 2012 through 2021, pedestrians were involved in more than 45 percent of the city’s fatal and severe-injury collisions, almost four times the county rate. Much of it happened on one street, Magnolia Avenue.
I’m Sami Sedghani, a personal injury lawyer. My office is in downtown San Rafael on 4th Street, a few miles north of Larkspur. This page covers what is specific to injury claims in Larkspur: who takes the report, which streets the County flagged, the ferry and SMART terminals at Larkspur Landing, and where a claim against the City goes. For the general California rules, see our car accident page.
Central Marin Police Authority takes most Larkspur reports
Larkspur shares its police department with Corte Madera and San Anselmo. The Central Marin Police Authority was formed under a joint powers agreement among the three, and began serving them on January 1, 2013. Its records office is in Larkspur, at the station on Doherty Drive. A crash on Magnolia Avenue, Doherty Drive, Bon Air Road, or another city street is generally a Central Marin Police Authority report.
Highway 101 and its ramps are covered by the California Highway Patrol’s Marin Area office, which also handles unincorporated Marin. That matters along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west of Highway 101. The County’s safety plan treats Sir Francis Drake from Bon Air Road to Del Monte, and its intersections with Bon Air Road, the Bon Air Center entrance at La Cuesta Drive, and Eliseo Drive at Barry Way, as unincorporated Marin. That segment had 26 injury collisions from 2017 through 2021, the most of any unincorporated segment in the county. A crash there may be a CHP report and a County matter, even with a Greenbrae or Larkspur address.
Getting a copy of the report
- Central Marin Police Authority: the public records page asks for the report request form, delivered to the records office at the Larkspur station, 250 Doherty Drive, in person, by mail, fax, or email. It lists a $10 report fee, cash or check only, says the office will make contact within 10 business days, and notes that some reports are not released while a case is active.
- CHP Marin Area: requests go through the CHP crash report request process.
- Eligibility: under Vehicle Code § 20012, collision reports are released only to people with a proper interest, such as the parties, injured people, their attorneys, and insurers.
Magnolia Avenue and the rest of Larkspur’s high-collision network
The 2024 Marin County Local Road Safety Plan counts 93 injury collisions on Larkspur’s arterial and collector streets from 2017 through 2021. Eight caused severe injuries (9 percent, up from 4 percent in the prior five years) and none was fatal. Unsafe speed was the primary factor in almost 38 percent, compared with 26 percent countywide.
| Segment | Injury collisions, 2017 to 2021 | Pedestrian, bicycle, or motorcycle |
|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Avenue, northern city limit to southern city limit | 48, the most in the city | 10 pedestrian, 23 bicycle, 1 motorcycle |
| Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Larkspur Landing Circle West to East | 11 | 2 motorcycle |
| Doherty Drive, Magnolia Avenue to Lucky Drive | 9 | 1 pedestrian, 5 bicycle |
| South Eliseo Drive, Bon Air Road to Lower Via Casitas | 8, but the highest rate in the city | 2 pedestrian, 3 bicycle |
Source: 2024 Marin County Local Road Safety Plan, Transportation Authority of Marin and County of Marin, Chapter 11 (Larkspur), Tables 11.1 and 11.2.
Magnolia Avenue and Ward Street, at the center of downtown, ranked 32nd of the 92 high-collision intersections in the county. The plan counts five pedestrian collisions, injuring seven people, within 100 feet of the Marin Transit stops there, which are served by Route 22 between San Rafael and Marin City. The plan’s priority project for Magnolia Avenue proposes removing some parking to open sight lines at driveways and intersections, better crossings, and continuous bike lanes where feasible. Parked cars that block a driver’s view, and a crosswalk without a beacon, are details the evidence in a Magnolia Avenue claim often turns on.
Pedestrian injuries in Larkspur are more often severe
Pedestrians were involved in about 17 percent of Larkspur’s injury collisions from 2017 through 2021, and five of the city’s eight severe-injury collisions. About 57 percent of the pedestrians were in a crosswalk. Half the pedestrian collisions were caused by a driver who did not yield, and a quarter by the pedestrian. Drivers failing to yield to pedestrians caused 38 percent of the city’s severe-injury collisions.
Two other findings shape these cases. Older adults were involved in 32 percent of Larkspur’s injury collisions, compared with 20 percent countywide. And about 22 percent of collisions happened in low-visibility conditions, mostly after dark under streetlights; one occurred at Magnolia Avenue and Wiltshire Avenue in the dark with no streetlights at all. A driver must yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk under Vehicle Code § 21950, and a pedestrian who was partly at fault can still recover a reduced amount under California’s comparative fault rule. Lighting at the time of the crash can become a public-entity question, which is why the exact time and location are worth pinning down.
Bicycle crashes on Magnolia, Doherty, and the Bon Air Bridge
Larkspur had 34 injury collisions involving bicyclists from 2017 through 2021: 19 with motor vehicles and 15 solo crashes, almost half of the solo crashes caused by unsafe speed. The bike hot spot was Magnolia Avenue. Larkspur has also rebuilt much of its bike network in the last few years, according to the plan:
- The Bon Air Road bridge over Corte Madera Creek was replaced in 2022 with wide sidewalks and bike lanes, and the Magnolia Avenue intersection lost its right-turn slip lanes in favor of protective islands.
- Magnolia Avenue received more than a mile of new and buffered bike lanes in 2022, plus traffic calming near Marin Primary & Middle School.
- Doherty Drive received a 1,300-foot separated two-way bikeway in front of Redwood High School and buffered bike lanes in 2022.
A solo bike crash is not always the rider’s fault. When pavement, a drain grate, debris, or a construction transition caused the fall, the claim may run against the agency that controls the road, under Government Code § 835. When a car is involved, the three-foot passing rule in Vehicle Code § 21760 and the rule for turning across a bike lane in Vehicle Code § 21717 often decide fault. Larkspur’s ordinance limiting Class 2 (throttle) e-bikes to riders 16 and older took effect July 1, 2025, according to the County of Marin’s youth e-bike safety page.
Larkspur Landing: the ferry, the SMART station, and Sir Francis Drake
Larkspur Landing brings together three transportation agencies within a few hundred yards. The Larkspur ferry to San Francisco is run by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. The SMART train’s Larkspur station is at 600 Larkspur Landing Circle, with a shuttle to the ferry terminal. And Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, which the County’s plan describes as a key connector between Highway 101 and Interstate 580, carries the traffic in between. The plan found unsafe-speed collisions most common on Magnolia Avenue, Doherty Drive, and Sir Francis Drake east of Highway 101.
Injuries on a ferry or train raise different rules than a street crash. A carrier of passengers for reward must use the utmost care and diligence for their safe carriage under Civil Code § 2100, a higher standard than ordinary care. Both the Golden Gate District and SMART are public agencies, so a claim against either generally has to be presented within six months under Government Code § 911.2, and each handles its own claims separately from the City.
Filing a claim against the City of Larkspur
The City Clerk’s Office receives all claims against the City of Larkspur. According to the City’s claim form page, a claim is made on the City’s form and submitted in person or by mail to the City Clerk at City Hall, 400 Magnolia Avenue. For Highway 101 and its interchanges, a claim about the road generally goes to the State: smaller highway damage claims are filed with Caltrans, and larger claims go through the Department of General Services, and for the unincorporated stretch of Sir Francis Drake near Bon Air, generally to the County of Marin. A lawsuit, if one follows, is generally filed in the Marin County Superior Court in San Rafael.
Atención en español
Sami Sedghani habla español con fluidez. Si usted o un familiar resultó lesionado en Larkspur, a pie, en bicicleta, en el ferry o en auto, puede llamar al (415) 835-4448 para una consulta gratuita. En las calles de Larkspur, el informe lo hace la Central Marin Police Authority. En la autopista 101 y en las zonas no incorporadas, lo hace la CHP. El plazo para presentar un reclamo contra la ciudad, el distrito del Golden Gate, SMART o el estado generalmente es de seis meses. Como el plazo depende de los hechos, es mejor que un abogado con licencia en California determine el plazo que aplica en su caso, en lugar de calcularlo por su cuenta. Esta información es general y no constituye asesoría legal.
How we prepare a Larkspur pedestrian or bicycle case
A pedestrian or rider hit on Magnolia Avenue often has the injuries insurers contest hardest: fractures in an older adult, shoulder and knee injuries the defense calls degenerative, and head injuries that do not show on a scan. We gather the scene evidence early, including transit stop and storefront video that is often overwritten within days. I trained as a clinical pharmacist at UCSF, and we review the medical records for what the defense will raise: medications that affect balance or healing, earlier complaints, and gaps in treatment. I also spent nine years at large law firms representing companies in complex litigation, which taught me how the other side values a claim. That background does not predict a result. It shapes how we prepare.
Nearby: Mill Valley injury claims, Tiburon injury claims, Sausalito injury claims, Corte Madera injury claims, Kentfield injury claims, and San Anselmo injury claims. The Marin County personal injury lawyer page covers the rest of the county.
Frequently asked questions about Larkspur injury claims
Who takes the accident report in Larkspur?
On city streets, the Central Marin Police Authority, the joint police agency for Larkspur, Corte Madera, and San Anselmo. On Highway 101 and in unincorporated areas, including the stretch of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard near Bon Air that the County treats as unincorporated, the California Highway Patrol generally takes the report.
Where do I pick up a Larkspur police report?
Central Marin Police Authority reports come from the records office at the Larkspur station, 250 Doherty Drive. The request form can be delivered in person or by mail, fax, or email. The department lists a $10 fee, cash or check only, and contacts the requester within 10 business days.
What is the most dangerous street in Larkspur?
By number of crashes, Magnolia Avenue. The 2024 Marin County Local Road Safety Plan counted 48 injury collisions along Magnolia from 2017 through 2021, 23 involving bicyclists and 10 involving pedestrians. South Eliseo Drive between Bon Air Road and Lower Via Casitas had the highest collision rate.
What if I was hurt on the Larkspur ferry or at the SMART station?
The ferry is run by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, and the train by SMART. Both are public agencies, so a claim generally must be presented to the agency within six months. California law requires a carrier of passengers for reward to use the utmost care for their safe carriage.
How long do I have to bring a claim after a Larkspur accident?
Generally, a claim against the City, the County, the State, or a transit district is due within six months under Government Code section 911.2, and a lawsuit against a private driver within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. Because the deadline depends on the facts, it is better to have a licensed California attorney determine the deadline that applies than to calculate it yourself.
Can I recover if I was crossing outside a crosswalk?
Possibly. California uses comparative fault, so a pedestrian who was partly at fault can still recover, reduced by his or her share of responsibility. A pedestrian outside a crosswalk must yield to vehicles close enough to be an immediate hazard, but Vehicle Code section 21954 still requires drivers to exercise due care for pedestrians on the roadway.
Talk to a lawyer about a Larkspur injury
If you were seriously hurt in Larkspur, on the ferry, or at Larkspur Landing, we can review what happened with you, including the report, the coverage, and your treatment so far, and tell you which deadlines apply. Call (415) 835-4448 or request a free consultation. Se habla español. Office: 1299 4th Street, Suite 301, San Rafael, CA 94901.
Contingency fee: no attorney’s fee unless we obtain a recovery for you. Depending on the terms of your written fee agreement, you may be responsible for case costs we advance even if there is no recovery. Your fee agreement explains this before representation begins.
Local procedures, projects, and data described here may change after the date shown above. Every case turns on its own facts, and nothing on this page predicts any outcome, timeline, or value in your matter.