Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Carlsbad, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 555
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 56
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 6
- fatal
- street with the most
- Carlsbad Blvd
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1Grand Ave & Washington St17 crashes · 2 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 5 of 17, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
- 2Carlsbad Blvd & State St14 crashes · 3 serious or fatalFalls and fixed objects
- 3Carlsbad Blvd & Oak Ave14 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 5 of 14, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
Is Carlsbad 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: 555 bike crashes were reported in Carlsbad from 2021–2026, 56 of them serious or fatal (6 fatal). The most were at Grand Ave & Washington St (17). 26% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 15% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Carlsbad
- 26% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 15% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 15% were riders hit from behind.
- 10% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in Carlsbad
- 10% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 40% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 10% (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.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 30 crashes: a construction or repair zone (9), loose material on the road (8), something blocking the road (7) and holes or deep ruts (6).
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.
- 0117 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Grand Ave & Washington St
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 5 of 17, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 0214 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
Carlsbad Blvd & State St
Falls and fixed objects
5 of 14 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved.
- Watch the surface here: potholes, drain grates, rail tracks and gravel. Cross tracks at a right angle.
- 0314 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Carlsbad Blvd & Oak Ave
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 5 of 14, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 6 of 14 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door.
- 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.
- 049 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Carlsbad Blvd & Solamar Dr
A mix of crash types
Traffic is posted at about 50 mph.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- Traffic is fast here. A quieter parallel street is often worth the extra minutes.
- 0511 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
College Blvd & Cannon Rd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
4 of 11 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.
- 0613 crashes
Carlsbad Blvd & Cannon Rd
Close passes and cars turning alongside
6 of 13 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door.
- 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.
- 079 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Poinsettia Ln & Avenida Encinas
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 0810 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Carlsbad Blvd & Tamarack Ave
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 097 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Carlsbad Blvd & Ponto Rd
A mix of crash types
Traffic is posted at about 50 mph.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- Traffic is fast here. A quieter parallel street is often worth the extra minutes.
- 1012 crashes
Carlsbad Village Dr & Harding St
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 3 of 12, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 10 of 12 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.
- 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.
Streets with the most bike crashes in Carlsbad
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad Blvd | 98 | 13 |
| Carlsbad Village Dr | 40 | 2 |
| El Camino Real | 37 | 3 |
| Chestnut Ave | 28 | 1 |
| Poinsettia Ln | 25 | 5 |
| Tamarack Ave | 25 | 2 |
| College Blvd | 20 | 1 |
| La Costa Ave | 19 | 4 |
| Palomar Airport Rd | 19 | 2 |
| Cannon Rd | 16 | 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 Carlsbad
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 52 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 17 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 13 | |
| ran a red light | 11 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 10 | |
| opened a door into traffic | 9 | |
| drove under the influence | 7 | |
| didn't yield at an intersection | 7 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 184 cars, 49 SUVs, 17 pickup trucks, 11 minivans, 9 truck or semis and 3 motorcycles. In 18 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 Carlsbad by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 97 | 10 | |
| 2022 | 107 | 11 | |
| 2023 | 92 | 10 | |
| 2024 | 86 | 7 | |
| 2025 | 104 | 8 | |
| 2026 | 69 | 10 |
How people get to work in Carlsbad
| Share of workers | Carlsbad | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 59.6% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 5% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 0.8% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 1.3% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 31.9% | 17.2% |
3.2% of households in Carlsbad have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 27.1 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 114,373 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 Carlsbad's streets.
Common questions about Carlsbad
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Carlsbad?
- The worst spot is Grand Ave & Washington St, with 17 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are Carlsbad Blvd & State St (14) and Carlsbad Blvd & Oak Ave (14).
- How many cyclists were killed in Carlsbad?
- 6 crashes killed someone in 555 reported bike crashes in Carlsbad from 2021–2026, and 56 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Carlsbad?
- 26% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 15% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 15% were riders hit from behind. 10% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in Carlsbad, compared with California?
- Of 555 reported bike crashes in Carlsbad from 2021–2026: 10% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 40% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 10% (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. The reports name something about the road itself in 30 crashes: a construction or repair zone (9), loose material on the road (8), something blocking the road (7) and holes or deep ruts (6).
- Which streets in Carlsbad have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Carlsbad Blvd (98), Carlsbad Village Dr (40), El Camino Real (37), Chestnut Ave (28), Poinsettia Ln (25). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in Carlsbad?
- 0.4% of workers in Carlsbad ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 0.8% take public transit. 3.2% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in Carlsbad each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 97, 2022: 107, 2023: 92, 2024: 86, 2025: 104, 2026: 69. 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 Carlsbad
Bike climbs near Carlsbad
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.