Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Brea, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 58
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 7
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 0
- fatal
- street with the most
- Brea Blvd
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 4 spots, explained- 1Imperial Hwy & State College Blvd5 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 2 of 5, a driver didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley.
- 2Brea Blvd & Elm St4 crashes · 1 serious or fatalSide-impact crashes at the junction
- 3Brea Blvd & Imperial Hwy4 crashesClose passes and cars turning alongside
Is Brea safe to ride a bike?
This page covers traffic crashes, not crime. We don't rate cities as safe or unsafe: crash counts can't say how risky a street is, and busy streets have more crashes partly because more people use them. What the records show: 58 bike crashes were reported in Brea from 2021–2026, 7 of them serious or fatal. The most were at Imperial Hwy & State College Blvd (5). 53% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 16% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Brea
- 53% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 16% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 16% happened after dark.
- 16% were hit-and-run.
What the reports show about bike crashes in Brea
- 16% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 63% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 12% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.).
- 3% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
Set against all bike crashes in California, 2021–2026. Without traffic counts these can't say how risky a street is.
Where bike crashes cluster
Spots with 3 or more reported crashes within about 250 m, worst first.
- 015 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Imperial Hwy & State College Blvd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 2 of 5, a driver didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley. 3 of 5 crashes were broadside: a vehicle hit at an angle, usually a driver pulling out of a side street or driveway, turning across, or running the signal. 40% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 40 mph.
- Slow down approaching the junction, watch drivers' front wheels at side streets and driveways, and don't assume a driver waiting to turn has seen you.
- Use a front and rear light, even on lit streets.
- Traffic is fast here. A quieter parallel street is often worth the extra minutes.
- 024 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Brea Blvd & Elm St
Side-impact crashes at the junction
3 of 4 crashes were broadside: a vehicle hit at an angle, usually a driver pulling out of a side street or driveway, turning across, or running the signal. Traffic is posted at about 40 mph.
- Slow down approaching the junction, watch drivers' front wheels at side streets and driveways, and don't assume a driver waiting to turn has seen you.
- Traffic is fast here. A quieter parallel street is often worth the extra minutes.
- 034 crashes
Brea Blvd & Imperial Hwy
Close passes and cars turning alongside
2 of 4 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door. Traffic is posted at about 40 mph.
- Ride at least 4 feet from parked cars to stay out of the door zone, and watch for drivers who overtake and then turn right across you.
- Traffic is fast here. A quieter parallel street is often worth the extra minutes.
- 043 crashes
Rose Dr & Valencia Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
2 of 3 crashes were broadside: a vehicle hit at an angle, usually a driver pulling out of a side street or driveway, turning across, or running the signal. Traffic is posted at about 45 mph.
- Slow down approaching the junction, watch drivers' front wheels at side streets and driveways, and don't assume a driver waiting to turn has seen you.
- Traffic is fast here. A quieter parallel street is often worth the extra minutes.
Streets with the most bike crashes in Brea
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Brea Blvd | 12 | 2 |
| Imperial Hwy | 8 | 0 |
| Lambert Rd | 6 | 0 |
| State College Blvd | 4 | 3 |
| SR-57 | 3 | 1 |
| Central Ave | 3 | 0 |
Reported bike crashes, 2021–2026, counted by the street each police report names first, so a crash at a corner counts toward one of its two streets. Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
What the police reports say drivers did in Brea
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 4 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 2 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 2 | |
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 2 | |
| drove under the influence | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 28 cars, 16 SUVs, 2 pickup trucks, 1 minivan and 1 truck or semi. In 2 crashes the report says the other driver had been drinking or was on drugs.
Reported bike crashes, 2021–2026. The officer names one party and one Vehicle Code section as the main cause of each crash; these are the crashes where that party was a driver. It is the officer's reading at the scene, not a court's finding, and many reports name the person on foot or on a bike instead, which we don't list.
Bike crashes in Brea by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 12 | 3 | |
| 2024 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 16 | 2 | |
| 2026 | 9 | 0 |
How people get to work in Brea
| Share of workers | Brea | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 74.1% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 6.6% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 0.6% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 0.9% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 1% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 15.4% | 17.2% |
4.5% of households in Brea have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 31.2 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 47,469 residents. These are trips to work only: walks to school, the shops or a bus stop aren't counted, so they can't say how much walking or riding happens on Brea's streets.
Common questions about Brea
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Brea?
- The worst spot is Imperial Hwy & State College Blvd, with 5 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are Brea Blvd & Elm St (4) and Brea Blvd & Imperial Hwy (4).
- How many cyclists were killed in Brea?
- No deaths were reported in 58 reported bike crashes in Brea from 2021–2026, and 7 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Brea?
- 53% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 16% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 16% happened after dark. 16% were hit-and-run.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in Brea, compared with California?
- Of 58 reported bike crashes in Brea from 2021–2026: 16% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 63% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 12% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.). 3% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Brea have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Brea Blvd (12), Imperial Hwy (8), Lambert Rd (6), State College Blvd (4), SR-57 (3). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in Brea?
- 1% of workers in Brea ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 0.6% take public transit. 4.5% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in Brea each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 8, 2022: 8, 2023: 12, 2024: 5, 2025: 16, 2026: 9. The latest year can rise as late reports come in.
- Where does this data come from?
- Police crash reports in the California Crash Reporting System (CCRS), published by the state on data.ca.gov. Only crashes reported with map coordinates are counted, so the real totals are higher.
Places to ride to near Brea
Bike climbs near Brea
Nearby cities
Source: California Crash Reporting System (CCRS), 2021–2026. A report with no coordinates is placed at the intersection its street names give; reports with neither are not counted, so these numbers are lower than the real total. Busy streets show more crashes partly because more people use them. Data last rebuilt 2026-10-22. How the data works.