Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Goleta, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 121
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 17
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 2
- fatal
- street with the most
- Hollister Ave
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs Goleta 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: 121 bike crashes were reported in Goleta from 2021–2026, 17 of them serious or fatal (2 fatal). The most were at Hollister Ave & Rutherford St (13). 35% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 13% happened after dark.
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Goleta
- 35% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 13% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in Goleta
- 13% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 40% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 14% (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 5 crashes: a construction or repair zone (5).
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.
- 0113 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Hollister Ave & Rutherford St
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 5 of 13, a driver didn't yield while turning left.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 0212 crashes
Hollister Ave & Fairview Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
5 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.
- 036 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Calle Real & Glen Annie Rd
A mix of crash types
Traffic is posted at about 45 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.
- 046 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Cathedral Oaks Rd & Alameda Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
3 of 6 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.
- 056 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Storke Rd & Santa Felicia Dr
Side-impact crashes at the junction
3 of 6 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 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.
- 065 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Kellogg Ave & Hollister 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.
- 074 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Storke Rd & Marketplace Dr
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 084 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Hollister Ave & Cortona Dr
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 3 of 4, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. Traffic is posted at about 45 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.
- 093 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Fairview Ave & Carson St
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 103 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
South Patterson Ave & Debbie Rd
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
Streets with the most bike crashes in Goleta
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Hollister Ave | 40 | 6 |
| Cathedral Oaks Rd | 16 | 3 |
| Storke Rd | 12 | 3 |
| Fairview Ave | 8 | 1 |
| Calle Real | 6 | 1 |
| Los Carneros Rd | 4 | 0 |
| Kellogg Ave | 3 | 1 |
| Glen Annie Rd | 3 | 1 |
| Patterson Ave | 3 | 0 |
| Berkeley Rd | 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 Goleta
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 18 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 13 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 8 | |
| ran a red light | 5 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 5 | |
| didn't yield at an intersection | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 57 cars, 25 SUVs, 16 pickup trucks, 3 minivans and 1 motorcycle. 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 Goleta by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 18 | 4 | |
| 2023 | 20 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 23 | 2 | |
| 2025 | 33 | 6 | |
| 2026 | 14 | 1 |
How people get to work in Goleta
| Share of workers | Goleta | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 61.4% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 11.4% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 2.8% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 2.5% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 2.5% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 18.4% | 17.2% |
4.8% of households in Goleta 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, 32,685 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 Goleta's streets.
Common questions about Goleta
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Goleta?
- The worst spot is Hollister Ave & Rutherford St, with 13 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are Hollister Ave & Fairview Ave (12) and Calle Real & Glen Annie Rd (6).
- How many cyclists were killed in Goleta?
- 2 crashes killed someone in 121 reported bike crashes in Goleta from 2021–2026, and 17 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Goleta?
- 35% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 13% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in Goleta, compared with California?
- Of 121 reported bike crashes in Goleta from 2021–2026: 13% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 40% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 14% (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 5 crashes: a construction or repair zone (5).
- Which streets in Goleta have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Hollister Ave (40), Cathedral Oaks Rd (16), Storke Rd (12), Fairview Ave (8), Calle Real (6). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in Goleta?
- 2.5% of workers in Goleta ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 2.8% take public transit. 4.8% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in Goleta each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 13, 2022: 18, 2023: 20, 2024: 23, 2025: 33, 2026: 14. 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.
Bike climbs near Goleta
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.