Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Santa Monica, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 372
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 33
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 4
- fatal
- street with the most
- Ocean Ave
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1Ocean Ave & Colorado Ave23 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 4 of 23, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
- 2Ocean Ave & California Ave21 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 6 of 21, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
- 3Lincoln Blvd & Michigan Ave13 crashes · 2 serious or fatalSide-impact crashes at the junction
Is Santa Monica 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: 372 bike crashes were reported in Santa Monica from 2021–2026, 33 of them serious or fatal (4 fatal). The most were at Ocean Ave & Colorado Ave (23). 22% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 10% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Santa Monica
- 22% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across).
- 10% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors).
- 15% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in Santa Monica
- 15% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 3% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 9% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.).
- 2% (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.
- 0123 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Ocean Ave & Colorado Ave
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 4 of 23, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 0221 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Ocean Ave & California Ave
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 6 of 21, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 0313 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Lincoln Blvd & Michigan Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
5 of 13 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.
- 0412 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Ocean Ave & Vicente Ter
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 0512 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Main St & Kinney St
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 4 of 12, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 25% were hit-and-run.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 0614 crashes
Colorado Ave & 4th St
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 077 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Ocean Ave & Marguerita Ave
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 0811 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Main St & Ocean Park Blvd
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 3 of 11, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 099 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Ocean Park Blvd & Lincoln Blvd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 3 of 9, a driver didn't yield while turning left. 4 of 9 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.
- 108 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Broadway & Lincoln Blvd
Close passes and cars turning alongside
5 of 8 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door. 38% were hit-and-run.
- 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.
Streets with the most bike crashes in Santa Monica
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean Ave | 49 | 4 |
| Main St | 24 | 1 |
| Lincoln Blvd | 20 | 3 |
| Pico Blvd | 18 | 3 |
| Wilshire Blvd | 17 | 1 |
| Ocean Park Blvd | 16 | 3 |
| Arizona Ave | 15 | 0 |
| Broadway | 14 | 0 |
| Santa Monica Blvd | 12 | 2 |
| 11th St | 10 | 2 |
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 Monica
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 56 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 33 | |
| opened a door into traffic | 28 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 11 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 10 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 7 | |
| passed a bicyclist closer than three feet | 6 | |
| turned from the wrong position | 6 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 202 cars, 75 SUVs, 13 pickup trucks, 7 truck or semis, 6 minivans and 5 buses. In 9 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 Monica by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 50 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 59 | 5 | |
| 2023 | 57 | 5 | |
| 2024 | 69 | 8 | |
| 2025 | 71 | 6 | |
| 2026 | 66 | 7 |
How people get to work in Santa Monica
| Share of workers | Santa Monica | California |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | 47% | 65.7% |
| Carpool | 2.8% | 9.5% |
| Public transit | 2.2% | 2.9% |
| Walk | 4.8% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 1.9% | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 38.4% | 17.2% |
11.4% of households in Santa Monica have no car (California: 7.1%). The average trip to work takes 24.8 minutes one way (California: 28.7).
US Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024 five-year estimates, 91,169 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 Monica's streets.
Common questions about Santa Monica
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Santa Monica?
- The worst spot is Ocean Ave & Colorado Ave, with 23 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are Ocean Ave & California Ave (21) and Lincoln Blvd & Michigan Ave (13).
- How many cyclists were killed in Santa Monica?
- 4 crashes killed someone in 372 reported bike crashes in Santa Monica from 2021–2026, and 33 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Santa Monica?
- 22% were side-impact crashes at junctions (drivers pulling out or turning across). 10% were sideswipes (close passes, right hooks, car doors). 15% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in Santa Monica, compared with California?
- Of 372 reported bike crashes in Santa Monica from 2021–2026: 15% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 3% (California: 41%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 9% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.). 2% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Santa Monica have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Ocean Ave (49), Main St (24), Lincoln Blvd (20), Pico Blvd (18), Wilshire Blvd (17). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many people bike to work in Santa Monica?
- 1.9% of workers in Santa Monica ride a bicycle to work (California: 0.7%), and 2.2% take public transit. 11.4% of households have no car (California: 7.1%). From the Census American Community Survey, 2020–2024.
- How many bike crashes happen in Santa Monica each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 50, 2022: 59, 2023: 57, 2024: 69, 2025: 71, 2026: 66. 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.
Visiting Santa Monica
Weather, getting there without a car, parking and the crashes reported within a mile of each.
Places to ride to near Santa Monica
Bike climbs near Santa Monica
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.