Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Lake Balboa, Los Angeles
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 24
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 6
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 2
- fatal
- street with the most
- Vanowen St
- street with the most
Is Lake Balboa safe to ride a bike?
This page covers traffic crashes, not crime. We don't rate neighborhoods 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: 24 bike crashes were reported in Lake Balboa from 2021–2026, 6 of them serious or fatal (2 fatal). The most were at Woodley Ave & Vanowen St (3). 50% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 13% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
Lake Balboa here is the LAKE BALBOA Neighborhood Council area, as the City of Los Angeles draws it; its edges may differ from where residents put the neighborhood.
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Lake Balboa
- 50% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 13% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 38% happened after dark.
Where bike crashes cluster
Spots with 3 or more reported crashes within about 250 m, worst first.
- 013 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Woodley Ave & Vanowen St
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.
- 023 crashes
Balboa Blvd & Vanowen St
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 Lake Balboa
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Vanowen St | 5 | 3 |
| Balboa Blvd | 5 | 1 |
| Woodley Ave | 4 | 0 |
| Sherman Way | 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.
Bike crashes in Lake Balboa by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2026 | 3 | 0 |
Common questions about Lake Balboa
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Lake Balboa?
- The worst spot is Woodley Ave & Vanowen St, with 3 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are Balboa Blvd & Vanowen St (3).
- How many cyclists were killed in Lake Balboa?
- 2 crashes killed someone in 24 reported bike crashes in Lake Balboa from 2021–2026, and 6 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Lake Balboa?
- 50% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 13% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 38% happened after dark.
- How does Lake Balboa compare with the rest of Los Angeles?
- Lake Balboa had 24 of the 2,773 bike crashes on the map in Los Angeles, 2021–2026 (1%). That is a count, not a rate: a neighborhood with more people walking, shops and through traffic has more crashes without being riskier for each person. Lake Balboa here is the LAKE BALBOA Neighborhood Council area, as the City of Los Angeles draws it; its edges may differ from where residents put the neighborhood.
- Which streets in Lake Balboa have the most bike crashes?
- Vanowen St (5), Balboa Blvd (5), Woodley Ave (4), Sherman Way (3), counted by the street each police report names first.
Nearby neighborhoods in Los Angeles
Source: California Crash Reporting System (CCRS), 2021–2026. A crash counts toward the neighborhood whose outline holds its point. 22 of the 24 crashes here had no coordinates on the report and were placed at the intersection its street names give. Reports with neither coordinates nor usable street names aren't on the map, so these numbers are lower than the real total. Busy streets show more crashes partly because more people use them. Outline: City of Los Angeles, Neighborhood Councils (Certified). Data last rebuilt 2026-10-07. How the data works.