Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Chico, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 153
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 27
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 3
- fatal
- street with the most
- Esplanade
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs Chico 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: 153 bike crashes were reported in Chico from 2021–2026, 27 of them serious or fatal (3 fatal). The most were at 20th St & Dr Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy (7). 59% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 12% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Chico
- 59% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 12% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 11% were riders hit from behind.
- 18% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in Chico
- 18% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 7% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 18% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 2 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.).
- 7% (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.
- 017 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
20th St & Dr Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy
Side-impact crashes at the junction
5 of 7 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.
- 026 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
8th St & Main St
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 035 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
East Ave & White Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 2 of 5, a driver ran a red light. 2 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.
- 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.
- 045 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Esplanade & Memorial Way
Side-impact crashes at the junction
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.
- 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.
- 055 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Forest Ave & 20th St
Side-impact crashes at the junction
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.
- 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.
- 064 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Nord Ave & Sacramento Ave
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.
- 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.
- 074 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Skyway & Notre Dame Blvd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
2 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. 50% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 65 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.
- 085 crashes
Esplanade & 5th Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
4 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.
- 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.
- 093 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Nord Ave & Stewart 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.
- 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.
- 103 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Esplanade & 9th 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.
- 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 Chico
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Esplanade | 12 | 2 |
| East Ave | 11 | 2 |
| Nord Ave | 10 | 2 |
| 20th St | 10 | 1 |
| 1st Ave | 9 | 0 |
| Cohasset Rd | 7 | 3 |
| Forest Ave | 4 | 2 |
| Mangrove Ave | 4 | 1 |
| Eaton Rd | 4 | 1 |
| Main St | 4 | 1 |
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 Chico
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 8 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 8 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 5 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 5 | |
| ran a red light | 5 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 3 | |
| drove in a bike lane | 2 | |
| drove under the influence | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 93 cars, 18 pickup trucks, 8 truck or semis, 7 SUVs and 3 motorcycles. In 4 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 Chico by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 28 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 32 | 7 | |
| 2023 | 15 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 22 | 4 | |
| 2025 | 33 | 7 | |
| 2026 | 23 | 5 |
How people get to work in Chico
| Share of workers | Chico | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 68.6% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 9.9% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 0.9% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 3.7% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 1.9% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 13.5% | 17.2% |
7.1% of households in Chico have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 17.8 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 102,188 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 Chico's streets.
Common questions about Chico
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Chico?
- The worst spot is 20th St & Dr Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy, with 7 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are 8th St & Main St (6) and East Ave & White Ave (5).
- How many cyclists were killed in Chico?
- 3 crashes killed someone in 153 reported bike crashes in Chico from 2021–2026, and 27 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Chico?
- 59% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 12% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 11% were riders hit from behind. 18% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in Chico, compared with California?
- Of 153 reported bike crashes in Chico from 2021–2026: 18% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 7% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 18% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 2 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.). 7% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Chico have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Esplanade (12), East Ave (11), Nord Ave (10), 20th St (10), 1st Ave (9). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in Chico?
- 1.9% of workers in Chico ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 0.9% take public transit. 7.1% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in Chico each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 28, 2022: 32, 2023: 15, 2024: 22, 2025: 33, 2026: 23. 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 Chico
Bike climbs near Chico
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.