Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Santa Maria, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 166
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 21
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 0
- fatal
- street with the most
- Broadway
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1Battles Rd & Broadway8 crashes · 3 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 3 of 8, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
- 2Stowell Rd & Broadway7 crashes · 2 serious or fatalSide-impact crashes at the junction
- 3Main St & Broadway6 crashes · 1 serious or fatalSide-impact crashes at the junction
Is Santa Maria 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: 166 bike crashes were reported in Santa Maria from 2021–2026, 21 of them serious or fatal. The most were at Battles Rd & Broadway (8). 63% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 16% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Santa Maria
- 63% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 16% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 16% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in Santa Maria
- 16% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 19% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 13% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 4 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.
- 018 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
Battles Rd & Broadway
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 3 of 8, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 5 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.
- 027 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Stowell Rd & Broadway
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.
- 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.
- 036 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Main St & Broadway
Side-impact crashes at the junction
6 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.
- 045 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Broadway & Mcelhaney Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
4 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.
- 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.
- 056 crashes
Main St & Miller St
Side-impact crashes at the junction
4 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.
- 064 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Alvin Ave & Broadway
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 075 crashes
Main St & College Dr
Side-impact crashes at the junction
4 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. 40% 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.
- 083 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Donovan Rd & Lincoln St
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 2 of 3, a driver didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley. 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.
- 095 crashes
Battles Rd & Biscayne St
Side-impact crashes at the junction
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 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.
- 103 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Broadway & Mill St
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.
Streets with the most bike crashes in Santa Maria
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Broadway | 27 | 6 |
| Main St | 15 | 0 |
| Battles Rd | 9 | 3 |
| Miller St | 9 | 1 |
| Alvin Ave | 8 | 0 |
| Stowell Rd | 7 | 3 |
| Donovan Rd | 7 | 1 |
| Bradley Rd | 7 | 0 |
| College Dr | 6 | 1 |
| Blosser Rd | 5 | 1 |
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 Santa Maria
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 17 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 15 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 9 | |
| ran a red light | 5 | |
| passed a bicyclist closer than three feet | 5 | |
| didn't yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 5 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 4 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 3 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 88 cars, 29 SUVs, 16 pickup trucks, 10 truck or semis and 6 minivans. In 10 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 Santa Maria by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 22 | 3 | |
| 2023 | 21 | 3 | |
| 2024 | 26 | 4 | |
| 2025 | 32 | 2 | |
| 2026 | 39 | 7 |
How people get to work in Santa Maria
| Share of workers | Santa Maria | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 71.3% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 18.8% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 1.8% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 1.4% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 17.2% |
6.3% of households in Santa Maria have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 22.4 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 110,462 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 Santa Maria's streets.
Common questions about Santa Maria
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Santa Maria?
- The worst spot is Battles Rd & Broadway, with 8 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 3 of them serious or fatal. Next are Stowell Rd & Broadway (7) and Main St & Broadway (6).
- How many cyclists were killed in Santa Maria?
- No deaths were reported in 166 reported bike crashes in Santa Maria from 2021–2026, and 21 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Santa Maria?
- 63% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 16% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 16% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in Santa Maria, compared with California?
- Of 166 reported bike crashes in Santa Maria from 2021–2026: 16% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 19% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 13% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 4 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.). 5% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Santa Maria have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Broadway (27), Main St (15), Battles Rd (9), Miller St (9), Alvin Ave (8). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in Santa Maria?
- 0.4% of workers in Santa Maria ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 1.8% take public transit. 6.3% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in Santa Maria each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 26, 2022: 22, 2023: 21, 2024: 26, 2025: 32, 2026: 39. 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 Santa Maria
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.