Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Murrieta, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 192
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 10
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 2
- fatal
- street with the most
- Whitewood Rd
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs Murrieta 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: 192 bike crashes were reported in Murrieta from 2021–2026, 10 of them serious or fatal (2 fatal). The most were at Nighthawk Way & Washington Ave (9). 65% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 9% happened after dark.
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Murrieta
- 65% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 9% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in Murrieta
- 9% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 74% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 5% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.).
- 1% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 5 crashes: holes or deep ruts (3) and loose material on the road (2).
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.
- 019 crashes
Nighthawk Way & Washington Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
7 of 9 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.
- 029 crashes
Whitewood Rd & Clinton Keith Rd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 3 of 9, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. 7 of 9 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 45 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.
- 037 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Washington Ave & Vineyard 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. Traffic is posted at about 45 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.
- 047 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Washington Ave & Jerry Allen Ln
Side-impact crashes at the junction
4 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 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.
- Traffic is fast here. A quieter parallel street is often worth the extra minutes.
- 054 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Whitewood Rd & Keller Rd
Riders hit from behind
2 of 4 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind. Traffic is posted at about 45 mph.
- Run a bright rear light day and night, and ride where drivers see you early rather than tucked into the gutter. A mirror or rear radar helps.
- Traffic is fast here. A quieter parallel street is often worth the extra minutes.
- 068 crashes
Madison Ave & Murrieta Hot Springs Rd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
6 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. Traffic is posted at about 45 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.
- 077 crashes
Los Alamos Rd & Hancock Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
6 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 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.
- Traffic is fast here. A quieter parallel street is often worth the extra minutes.
- 084 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Margarita Rd & Date St
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 45 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.
- 095 crashes
California Oaks Rd & Lincoln Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
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. Traffic is posted at about 45 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.
- 103 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Nutmeg St & Morning Glory Dr
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. 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.
- Traffic is fast here. A quieter parallel street is often worth the extra minutes.
Streets with the most bike crashes in Murrieta
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Whitewood Rd | 20 | 2 |
| Washington Ave | 13 | 2 |
| Los Alamos Rd | 13 | 0 |
| Murrieta Hot Springs Rd | 12 | 1 |
| Clinton Keith Rd | 10 | 1 |
| California Oaks Rd | 10 | 0 |
| Madison Ave | 9 | 0 |
| Jefferson Ave | 8 | 1 |
| Nutmeg St | 7 | 0 |
| Jackson Ave | 6 | 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 Murrieta
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 16 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 15 | |
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 13 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 10 | |
| ran a red light | 5 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 4 | |
| passed improperly | 2 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 97 cars, 30 SUVs, 15 truck or semis, 9 pickup trucks, 7 minivans and 1 bus. 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 Murrieta by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 28 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 32 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 51 | 4 | |
| 2026 | 38 | 3 |
How people get to work in Murrieta
| Share of workers | Murrieta | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 72.2% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 8.6% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 0.3% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 1.1% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 16.8% | 17.2% |
2.7% of households in Murrieta have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 37.4 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 112,064 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 Murrieta's streets.
Common questions about Murrieta
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Murrieta?
- The worst spot is Nighthawk Way & Washington Ave, with 9 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026. Next are Whitewood Rd & Clinton Keith Rd (9) and Washington Ave & Vineyard Pkwy (7).
- How many cyclists were killed in Murrieta?
- 2 crashes killed someone in 192 reported bike crashes in Murrieta from 2021–2026, and 10 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Murrieta?
- 65% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 9% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in Murrieta, compared with California?
- Of 192 reported bike crashes in Murrieta from 2021–2026: 9% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 74% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 5% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.). 1% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it. The reports name something about the road itself in 5 crashes: holes or deep ruts (3) and loose material on the road (2).
- Which streets in Murrieta have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Whitewood Rd (20), Washington Ave (13), Los Alamos Rd (13), Murrieta Hot Springs Rd (12), Clinton Keith Rd (10). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in Murrieta?
- 0.1% of workers in Murrieta ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 0.3% take public transit. 2.7% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in Murrieta each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 12, 2022: 28, 2023: 31, 2024: 32, 2025: 51, 2026: 38. 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 Murrieta
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.