Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Palm Springs, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 77
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 15
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 5
- fatal
- street with the most
- Ramon Rd
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 6 spots, explainedIs Palm Springs 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: 77 bike crashes were reported in Palm Springs from 2021–2026, 15 of them serious or fatal (5 fatal). The most were at Sunrise Way & Ramon Rd (3). 61% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 14% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Palm Springs
- 61% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 14% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 10% were riders hit from behind.
- 23% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in Palm Springs
- 23% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 71% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 19% (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 2 crashes: a construction or repair zone (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.
- 013 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Sunrise Way & Ramon Rd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
2 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 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.
- 023 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
El Cielo Rd & Ramon Rd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
2 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. 67% 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.
- 035 crashes
Sunrise Way & SR-111
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 2 of 5, a driver didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley. 3 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.
- 043 crashes
Tahquitz Canyon Way & Farrell Dr
Side-impact crashes at the junction
2 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. 67% 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.
- 053 crashes
Belardo Rd & Ramon Rd
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.
- 063 crashes
Williams Rd & Ramon 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.
Streets with the most bike crashes in Palm Springs
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Ramon Rd | 10 | 4 |
| Sunrise Way | 9 | 1 |
| SR-111 | 7 | 3 |
| Tahquitz Canyon Way | 5 | 1 |
| Gene Autry Trail | 4 | 1 |
| Indian Canyon Drive N | 4 | 1 |
| Palm Canyon Drive E | 3 | 1 |
| Avenida Caballeros | 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 Palm Springs
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 5 | |
| ran a red light | 4 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 4 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 4 | |
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 3 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 2 | |
| passed a bicyclist closer than three feet | 2 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 40 cars, 18 SUVs, 5 pickup trucks, 2 minivans, 1 truck or semi and 1 motorcycle. In 4 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 Palm Springs by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2023 | 15 | 4 | |
| 2024 | 16 | 2 | |
| 2025 | 12 | 3 | |
| 2026 | 13 | 2 |
How people get to work in Palm Springs
| Share of workers | Palm Springs | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 61.7% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 6.5% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 1.4% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 2.3% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 26% | 17.2% |
7.1% of households in Palm Springs have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 22.2 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 45,070 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 Palm Springs's streets.
Common questions about Palm Springs
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Palm Springs?
- The worst spot is Sunrise Way & Ramon Rd, with 3 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are El Cielo Rd & Ramon Rd (3) and Sunrise Way & SR-111 (5).
- How many cyclists were killed in Palm Springs?
- 5 crashes killed someone in 77 reported bike crashes in Palm Springs from 2021–2026, and 15 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Palm Springs?
- 61% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 14% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 10% were riders hit from behind. 23% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in Palm Springs, compared with California?
- Of 77 reported bike crashes in Palm Springs from 2021–2026: 23% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 71% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 19% (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 2 crashes: a construction or repair zone (2).
- Which streets in Palm Springs have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Ramon Rd (10), Sunrise Way (9), SR-111 (7), Tahquitz Canyon Way (5), Gene Autry Trail (4). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in Palm Springs?
- 0.5% of workers in Palm Springs ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 1.4% take public transit. 7.1% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in Palm Springs each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 11, 2022: 10, 2023: 15, 2024: 16, 2025: 12, 2026: 13. 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 Palm Springs
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.