Bike crash statistics and hotspots in Uc Santa Cruz, CA
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- 116
- bike crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 21
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 0
- fatal
- street with the most
- Hagar Dr
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs Uc Santa Cruz 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: 116 bike crashes were reported in Uc Santa Cruz from 2021–2026, 21 of them serious or fatal. The most were at Merrill Rd & Mclaughlin Dr (17). 27% happened after dark.
Where to look next
How people on bikes get hit in Uc Santa Cruz
- 27% happened after dark.
What the reports show about bike crashes in Uc Santa Cruz
- 27% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 18% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.).
- 11% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 4 crashes: holes or deep ruts (4).
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.
- 0117 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Merrill Rd & Mclaughlin Dr
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 0212 crashes · 4 serious or fatal
Kerr Rd & Meyer Dr
A mix of crash types
42% 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.
- 037 crashes · 4 serious or fatal
Mchenry Service Rd & Parking Lot #120
Falls and fixed objects
5 of 7 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. 43% happened after dark.
- Watch the surface here: potholes, drain grates, rail tracks and gravel. Cross tracks at a right angle.
- Use a front and rear light, even on lit streets.
- 049 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Coolidge Dr & Hagar Dr
Falls and fixed objects
4 of 9 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved.
- Watch the surface here: potholes, drain grates, rail tracks and gravel. Cross tracks at a right angle.
- 058 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Hagar Dr & Village Rd
Falls and fixed objects
3 of 8 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved.
- Watch the surface here: potholes, drain grates, rail tracks and gravel. Cross tracks at a right angle.
- 067 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Hagar Dr & Village Rd
Falls and fixed objects
4 of 7 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved.
- Watch the surface here: potholes, drain grates, rail tracks and gravel. Cross tracks at a right angle.
- 077 crashes
Heller Dr & Rachel Carson Rd
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 087 crashes
Heller Dr & Heller Dr 20
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Slow down, stay visible, and leave extra room.
- 095 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Coolidge Dr & High St
Falls and fixed objects
2 of 5 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved.
- Watch the surface here: potholes, drain grates, rail tracks and gravel. Cross tracks at a right angle.
- 105 crashes
College Eight Service Rd & Rachel Carson Service Rd
A mix of crash types
40% 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.
Streets with the most bike crashes in Uc Santa Cruz
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Hagar Dr | 21 | 5 |
| Mclaughlin Dr | 12 | 2 |
| Heller Dr | 12 | 1 |
| Coolidge Dr | 10 | 1 |
| Kerr Rd | 6 | 2 |
| Mchenry Rd | 5 | 1 |
| Steinhart Way | 5 | 1 |
| Merrill Rd | 4 | 0 |
| Great Meadow Bike Path | 4 | 0 |
| Village 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.
Bike crashes in Uc Santa Cruz by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 16 | 5 | |
| 2024 | 33 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 29 | 5 | |
| 2026 | 22 | 5 |
Common questions about Uc Santa Cruz
- Where do the most bike crashes happen in Uc Santa Cruz?
- The worst spot is Merrill Rd & Mclaughlin Dr, with 17 reported bike crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are Kerr Rd & Meyer Dr (12) and Mchenry Service Rd & Parking Lot #120 (7).
- How many cyclists were killed in Uc Santa Cruz?
- No deaths were reported in 116 reported bike crashes in Uc Santa Cruz from 2021–2026, and 21 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do cyclists usually get hit in Uc Santa Cruz?
- 27% happened after dark.
- When and where do bike crashes happen in Uc Santa Cruz, compared with California?
- Of 116 reported bike crashes in Uc Santa Cruz from 2021–2026: 27% (California: 21%) of crashes happened after dark. 18% (California: 13%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 3 p.m.). 11% (California: 3%) were on a wet road, as the report records it. The reports name something about the road itself in 4 crashes: holes or deep ruts (4).
- Which streets in Uc Santa Cruz have the most bike crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Hagar Dr (21), Mclaughlin Dr (12), Heller Dr (12), Coolidge Dr (10), Kerr Rd (6). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many bike crashes happen in Uc Santa Cruz each year?
- Reported bike crashes with map locations: 2021: 6, 2022: 10, 2023: 16, 2024: 33, 2025: 29, 2026: 22. 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 Uc Santa Cruz
Bike climbs near Uc Santa Cruz
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.