CHP Database Error Identified in Shanahan Accident Report
CHP database error identified in Shanahan accident report; no charges filed.
Event / Security
Kyle Shanahan Car Accident
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was involved in a car accident on July 14 in Palo Alto, California, sustaining severe injuries including a concussion, broken nose, three broken ribs, and a broken left hand. The accident occurred when he briefly took his eyes off the road to locate his cell phone. The other driver sustained minor injuries. Shanahan has accepted full responsibility and is following concussion recovery protocols.
2 reported locations
Daily activity
0 articles0 articles
2026-08-14 to 2026-11-11 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 29 Jul, 01:18 UTC
Follow the documented timeline or explore the related reporting.
What happened
Kyle Shanahan expects full recovery from injuries
Kyle Shanahan stated that he has made considerable progress in his recovery and expects to make a full recovery from his accident injuries. He is following a concussion protocol similar to the one used for injured players and will resume coaching when fully recovered.
Kyle Shanahan takes responsibility for car accident
Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters on Tuesday and accepted full responsibility for the July 14 car accident. He stated that he was not using his cell phone during the accident but took his eyes off the road for approximately two seconds while searching for his phone that had fallen onto his lap and became stuck between the seats.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan involved in car accident on July 14
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was involved in a car accident on July 14 in Palo Alto. Shanahan took his eyes off the road briefly to find his cell phone that had fallen between the seats, causing him to cross the double lines into oncoming traffic and collide with an SUV driven by a 21-year-old woman. Shanahan was traveling at approximately 20 miles per hour at the time of the collision.
49ers assistant coach Chris Foerster assumes head coaching duties during Shanahan's recovery
Due to Shanahan's injuries and concussion recovery, San Francisco 49ers assistant head coach Chris Foerster assumed head coaching duties with assistance from coordinators Raheem Morris, Klay Kubiak, and Brant Boyer. Shanahan became a limited participant at the start of training camp and has been watching practice from a distance.
No charges filed in Kyle Shanahan car accident
Police filed no charges in connection with the July 14 car accident involving Kyle Shanahan.
Other driver in Shanahan accident suffers minor injuries
The 21-year-old woman driving the other vehicle in the July 14 collision with Kyle Shanahan suffered minor injuries and did not require hospitalization.
Kyle Shanahan suffers multiple injuries in car crash including concussion
Kyle Shanahan sustained significant injuries from the July 14 car accident: a broken nose, three broken ribs, a broken left hand, a severe concussion, and more than 40 stitches on his face. He was briefly hospitalized following the crash but did not lose consciousness or develop amnesia from the concussion.
California Highway Patrol database contained clerical error in accident report
The California Highway Patrol database initially attributed the July 14 car accident to the other driver due to a clerical error. Shanahan clarified that the accident was his responsibility, not the other driver's.
Read the coverage
2 alternative perspectives
Chris Foerster Takes Over 49ers Head Coaching Role as Shanahan Recovers
49ers assistant coach Foerster takes over head coaching as Shanahan recovers from car accident injuries.
49ers Coach Shanahan Sustains Multiple Injuries in July Accident
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan injured in July car accident; expects full recovery.