Bike crash statistics and hotspots in El Cajon, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 168
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 29
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 1
- fatal
- street with the most
- Main St
- street with the most
Is El Cajon 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: 168 bike crashes were reported in El Cajon from 2021–2026, 29 of them serious or fatal (1 fatal). The most were at Main St & Magnolia Ave (6). 50% 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 El Cajon
- 50% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 12% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 20% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in El Cajon
- 20% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 17% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 4 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.).
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.
- 016 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Main St & Magnolia Ave
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 027 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Main St & Lincoln Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
7 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.
- 034 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
West Main St & Johnson Ave
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.
- 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.
- 044 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Palm Ave & Marshall Ave
Falls and fixed objects
2 of 4 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.
- 057 crashes
Broadway & Graves Ave
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. 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.
- Traffic is fast here. A quieter parallel street is often worth the extra minutes.
- 064 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Mollison Ave & Naranca Ave
Head-on crashes
2 of 4 crashes were head-on, often riding against traffic or a driver cutting across the centre line on a turn. 50% happened after dark.
- Ride with the flow of traffic, and watch for oncoming drivers turning left across you.
- Use a front and rear light, even on lit streets.
- 074 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
South Magnolia Ave & East Chase Ave
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.
- 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.
- 085 crashes
Madison Ave & Second St
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. 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.
- 095 crashes
Main St & Ballantyne St
Close passes and cars turning alongside
2 of 5 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.
- 103 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Main St & Mollison Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
3 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 El Cajon
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Main St | 28 | 3 |
| 2nd St | 10 | 0 |
| Madison Ave | 9 | 2 |
| Washington Ave | 8 | 0 |
| El Cajon Blvd | 7 | 3 |
| Broadway | 6 | 1 |
| 1st St | 6 | 1 |
| Mollison Ave | 5 | 1 |
| Fletcher Pkwy | 5 | 1 |
| Magnolia Ave | 4 | 2 |
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.
Bike crashes in El Cajon by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 21 | 6 | |
| 2022 | 28 | 5 | |
| 2023 | 25 | 4 | |
| 2024 | 36 | 7 | |
| 2025 | 53 | 7 | |
| 2026 | 5 | 0 |
How people get to work in El Cajon
| Share of workers | El Cajon | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 72.6% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 9.4% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 2.3% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 2.3% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 11.4% | 17.2% |
8.1% of households in El Cajon have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 24.8 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 104,449 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 El Cajon's streets.
Common questions about El Cajon
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in El Cajon?
- The worst spot is Main St & Magnolia Ave, with 6 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are Main St & Lincoln Ave (7) and West Main St & Johnson Ave (4).
- How many cyclists were killed in El Cajon?
- 1 crash killed someone in 168 reported bike crashes in El Cajon from 2021–2026, and 29 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in El Cajon?
- 50% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 12% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 20% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in El Cajon, compared with California?
- Of 168 reported bike crashes in El Cajon from 2021–2026: 20% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 17% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 4 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.).
- Which streets in El Cajon have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Main St (28), 2nd St (10), Madison Ave (9), Washington Ave (8), El Cajon Blvd (7). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in El Cajon?
- 0.4% of workers in El Cajon ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 2.3% take public transit. 8.1% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in El Cajon each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 21, 2022: 28, 2023: 25, 2024: 36, 2025: 53, 2026: 5. 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 El Cajon
Bike climbs near El Cajon
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 2026-10-07. How the data works.