Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Encinitas, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 149
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 16
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 1
- fatal
- street with the most
- Encinitas Blvd
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs Encinitas 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: 149 bike crashes were reported in Encinitas from 2021–2026, 16 of them serious or fatal (1 fatal). The most were at Bonita Dr & Melba Rd (7). 38% 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 Encinitas
- 38% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 15% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 13% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in Encinitas
- 13% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 11% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.).
- 2% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 3 crashes: a construction or repair zone (3).
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
Bonita Dr & Melba Rd
Head-on crashes
3 of 7 crashes were head-on, often riding against traffic or a driver cutting across the centre line on a turn.
- Ride with the flow of traffic, and watch for oncoming drivers turning left across you.
- 028 crashes
Vulvan Ave & Encinitas Blvd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
5 of 8 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.
- 037 crashes
Encinitas Blvd & Saxony Rd
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 3 of 7, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 4 of 7 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.
- 046 crashes
North Coast & Jasper St
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 054 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Encinitas Blvd & Beechtree Dr
Falls and fixed objects
3 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.
- 066 crashes
Encinitas Blvd & Balour Dr
Falls and fixed objects
3 of 6 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.
- 074 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
El Camino Real & Via Montoro
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 2 of 4, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 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.
- 084 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
San Elijo Ave & Chesterfield Dr
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.
- 095 crashes
Leucadia Blvd & Garden View Rd
Falls and fixed objects
3 of 5 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.
- 105 crashes
Birmingham Dr & Newcastle Ave
Crashes with people on foot
Police reports: in 2 of 5, a driver ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping. 2 of 5 crashes were with a pedestrian.
- Slow down near crossings and on shared paths, and give people walking plenty of room.
Streets with the most bike crashes in Encinitas
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Encinitas Blvd | 25 | 3 |
| Santa Fe Dr | 12 | 1 |
| Coast Hwy | 7 | 2 |
| El Camino Real | 7 | 1 |
| Leucadia Blvd | 7 | 0 |
| Melba Rd | 5 | 0 |
| Vulcan Ave | 5 | 0 |
| N Coast | 4 | 0 |
| S Coast | 4 | 0 |
| Balour Dr | 4 | 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 Encinitas
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 26 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 10 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 6 | |
| ran a red light | 4 | |
| turned from the wrong position | 4 | |
| didn't yield at an intersection | 3 | |
| drove under the influence | 2 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 73 cars, 9 SUVs, 6 pickup trucks, 1 truck or semi and 1 minivan. In 8 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 Encinitas by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 22 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 30 | 4 | |
| 2023 | 20 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 33 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 36 | 5 | |
| 2026 | 8 | 1 |
How people get to work in Encinitas
| Share of workers | Encinitas | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 57.8% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 4.8% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 0.7% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 1.6% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.9% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 32.7% | 17.2% |
3% of households in Encinitas have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 24.7 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 61,480 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 Encinitas's streets.
Common questions about Encinitas
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Encinitas?
- The worst spot is Bonita Dr & Melba Rd, with 7 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are Vulvan Ave & Encinitas Blvd (8) and Encinitas Blvd & Saxony Rd (7).
- How many cyclists were killed in Encinitas?
- 1 crash killed someone in 149 reported bike crashes in Encinitas from 2021–2026, and 16 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Encinitas?
- 38% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 15% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 13% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in Encinitas, compared with California?
- Of 149 reported bike crashes in Encinitas from 2021–2026: 13% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 11% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.). 2% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it. The reports name something about the road itself in 3 crashes: a construction or repair zone (3).
- Which streets in Encinitas have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Encinitas Blvd (25), Santa Fe Dr (12), Coast Hwy (7), El Camino Real (7), Leucadia Blvd (7). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in Encinitas?
- 0.9% of workers in Encinitas ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 0.7% take public transit. 3% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in Encinitas each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 22, 2022: 30, 2023: 20, 2024: 33, 2025: 36, 2026: 8. 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 Encinitas
Bike climbs near Encinitas
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.