Bike crash statistics and hotspots in San Mateo, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 146
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 11
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 0
- fatal
- street with the most
- El Camino Real
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs San Mateo 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: 146 bike crashes were reported in San Mateo from 2021–2026, 11 of them serious or fatal. The most were at Tilton Ave & Humboldt Ave (6). 21% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 13% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in San Mateo
- 21% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 13% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 15% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in San Mateo
- 15% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 1% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 8% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.).
- 4% (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.
- 016 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Tilton Ave & Humboldt Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
3 of 6 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.
- 027 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Palm Ave & 17th Ave
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 038 crashes
San Mateo Dr & Poplar Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
4 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.
- 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.
- 047 crashes
Delaware St & 2nd Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
3 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. 43% happened after dark.
- 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.
- 054 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
El Camino Real & Baldwin Ave
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 2 of 4, a driver didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 064 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
28th Ave & The North Curb Line Prolongation Of 28th 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.
- 074 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Humboldt St & Indian Ave
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 083 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Sunnybrae Blvd & Delaware St
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 095 crashes
San Mateo Dr & Monte Diablo Ave
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 104 crashes
19th Ave & South Delaware 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 San Mateo
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| El Camino Real | 10 | 0 |
| Norfolk St | 10 | 0 |
| Tilton Ave | 6 | 1 |
| Alameda De Las Pulgas | 6 | 1 |
| San Mateo Dr | 6 | 0 |
| Delaware St | 6 | 0 |
| Hillsdale Blvd | 5 | 0 |
| Palm Ave | 4 | 1 |
| 3rd Ave | 4 | 0 |
| 4th Ave | 4 | 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 San Mateo
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 10 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 8 | |
| opened a door into traffic | 5 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 4 | |
| didn't yield at an intersection | 4 | |
| passed a bicyclist closer than three feet | 3 | |
| ran a red light | 3 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 3 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 100 cars, 13 SUVs, 4 pickup trucks, 2 truck or semis, 2 motorcycles and 1 bus. In 3 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 San Mateo by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14 | 4 | |
| 2022 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 25 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 40 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2026 | 24 | 4 |
How people get to work in San Mateo
| Share of workers | San Mateo | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 57.7% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 7% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 4.9% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 2.7% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 24.8% | 17.2% |
6.8% of households in San Mateo have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 26.1 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 103,105 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 San Mateo's streets.
Common questions about San Mateo
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in San Mateo?
- The worst spot is Tilton Ave & Humboldt Ave, with 6 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are Palm Ave & 17th Ave (7) and San Mateo Dr & Poplar Ave (8).
- How many cyclists were killed in San Mateo?
- No deaths were reported in 146 reported bike crashes in San Mateo from 2021–2026, and 11 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in San Mateo?
- 21% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 13% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 15% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in San Mateo, compared with California?
- Of 146 reported bike crashes in San Mateo from 2021–2026: 15% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 1% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 8% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.). 4% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in San Mateo have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: El Camino Real (10), Norfolk St (10), Tilton Ave (6), Alameda De Las Pulgas (6), San Mateo Dr (6). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in San Mateo?
- 0.5% of workers in San Mateo ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 4.9% take public transit. 6.8% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in San Mateo each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 14, 2022: 12, 2023: 25, 2024: 40, 2025: 31, 2026: 24. 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 San Mateo
Bike climbs near San Mateo
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.