Bike crash statistics and hotspots in National City, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 61
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 13
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 4
- fatal
- street with the most
- 8th St
- street with the most
Is National City 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: 61 bike crashes were reported in National City from 2021–2026, 13 of them serious or fatal (4 fatal). The most were at 8th St & Paradise Dr (5). 30% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 30% happened after dark.
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in National City
- 30% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 30% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in National City
- 30% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 21% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 8 a.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.
- 015 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
8th St & Paradise Dr
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.
- 023 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Highland Ave & 6th St
Crashes with people on foot
2 of 3 crashes were with a pedestrian.
- Slow down near crossings and on shared paths, and give people walking plenty of room.
- 033 crashes
National City Blvd & 2nd 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 National City
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| 8th St | 6 | 1 |
| Sweetwater Rd | 6 | 1 |
| 18th St | 5 | 1 |
| Highland Ave | 4 | 0 |
| 4th St | 3 | 1 |
| 24th St | 3 | 1 |
| Plaza Blvd | 3 | 1 |
| D Ave | 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 National City by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 12 | 2 | |
| 2026 | 9 | 1 |
How people get to work in National City
| Share of workers | National City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 68.5% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 14.6% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 4% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 4.3% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 6.5% | 17.2% |
10.9% of households in National City have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 25.4 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 58,893 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 National City's streets.
Common questions about National City
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in National City?
- The worst spot is 8th St & Paradise Dr, with 5 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are Highland Ave & 6th St (3) and National City Blvd & 2nd St (3).
- How many cyclists were killed in National City?
- 4 crashes killed someone in 61 reported bike crashes in National City from 2021–2026, and 13 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in National City?
- 30% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 30% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in National City, compared with California?
- Of 61 reported bike crashes in National City from 2021–2026: 30% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 21% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 8 a.m. (California: 3 p.m.).
- Which streets in National City have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: 8th St (6), Sweetwater Rd (6), 18th St (5), Highland Ave (4), 4th St (3). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in National City?
- 0.4% of workers in National City ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 4% take public transit. 10.9% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in National City each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 13, 2022: 7, 2023: 10, 2024: 10, 2025: 12, 2026: 9. 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 National City
Bike climbs near National City
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.