Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Palo Alto, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 99
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 5
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 1
- fatal
- street with the most
- El Camino Real
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 9 spots, explainedIs Palo Alto 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: 99 bike crashes were reported in Palo Alto from 2021–2026, 5 of them serious or fatal (1 fatal). The most were at Middlefield Rd & Colorado Ave (4). 34% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 18% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Palo Alto
- 34% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 18% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 9% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in Palo Alto
- 9% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 4% (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.).
- 5% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
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.
- 014 crashes
Middlefield Rd & Colorado Ave
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.
- 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.
- 024 crashes
Campus Dr & Escondido Rd
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.
- 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.
- 034 crashes
Bryant St & Churchill
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 043 crashes
El Camino Real & Stanford Ave
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.
- 053 crashes
El Camino Real & Charlestone Rd
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 063 crashes
Hamilton Ave & Alma St
A mix of crash types
67% happened after dark.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- Use a front and rear light, even on lit streets.
- 073 crashes
Emerson St & Lytton Ave
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 083 crashes
Bryant St & Hamilton Ave
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 2 of 3, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 2 of 3 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.
- 093 crashes
Churchill Ave & Mariposa Ave
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 Palo Alto
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| El Camino Real | 8 | 0 |
| Middlefield Rd | 7 | 0 |
| Campus Dr | 7 | 0 |
| Bryant St | 6 | 0 |
| Meadow Dr | 5 | 0 |
| University Ave | 5 | 0 |
| Embarcadero Rd | 4 | 1 |
| Junipero Serra Blvd | 3 | 2 |
| San Antonio Rd | 3 | 1 |
| Charleston 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 Palo Alto
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 12 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 6 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 5 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 4 | |
| opened a door into traffic | 3 | |
| didn't yield at an intersection | 2 | |
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 60 cars, 13 SUVs, 4 minivans, 2 truck or semis and 2 pickup trucks. In 1 crash 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 Palo Alto by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 32 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 15 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 15 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 29 | 2 |
How people get to work in Palo Alto
| Share of workers | Palo Alto | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 44.2% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 4.6% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 2% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 4.6% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 7.9% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 35.4% | 17.2% |
8.5% of households in Palo Alto have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 21.4 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 67,237 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 Palo Alto's streets.
Common questions about Palo Alto
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Palo Alto?
- The worst spot is Middlefield Rd & Colorado Ave, with 4 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026. Next are Campus Dr & Escondido Rd (4) and Bryant St & Churchill (4).
- How many cyclists were killed in Palo Alto?
- 1 crash killed someone in 99 reported bike crashes in Palo Alto from 2021–2026, and 5 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Palo Alto?
- 34% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 18% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 9% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in Palo Alto, compared with California?
- Of 99 reported bike crashes in Palo Alto from 2021–2026: 9% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 4% (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.). 5% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Palo Alto have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: El Camino Real (8), Middlefield Rd (7), Campus Dr (7), Bryant St (6), Meadow Dr (5). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in Palo Alto?
- 7.9% of workers in Palo Alto ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 2% take public transit. 8.5% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in Palo Alto each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 32, 2022: 15, 2023: 3, 2024: 15, 2025: 5, 2026: 29. 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 Palo Alto
Bike climbs near Palo Alto
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.