Santa Barbara had a mule car system from 1875 until 1897 when conversion to electric streetcars took place. This system operated until 1929 when it shut down to make way for the automobile age. Both systems were basically safe, although accidents did occasionally occur. The worst one took place in 1904.
Accidents on the mule lines were quite rare primarily because the cars moved so slowly. One accident occured in September 1883, when the brakes failed on a car moving down State Street near Figueroa Street. Several passengers leaped off before the car left the tracks and smashed into an awning post near Canon Perdido Street. No one was seriously hurt.
Conversion to electricity brought more frequent accidents due to higher speeds, an increase in traffic as the number of automobiles grew, and a greater chance of horses being frightened. Inexperienced drivers of the new-fangled autos added another layer of problems. Traffic flow without signals or stop signs could be haphazard at best. Maintenance of equipment could also be a problem.