Motorcycle crash hotspots in Bakersfield, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2025
- 415
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2025
- serious or fatal
- 97
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 23
- fatal
Is Bakersfield safe to ride a motorcycle?
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: 415 motorcycle crashes were reported in Bakersfield from 2021–2025, 97 of them serious or fatal (23 fatal). The most were at Union Av & Bernard St (5). 28% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 20% involved a car turning left across the rider.
How motorcyclists crash in Bakersfield
- 28% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 20% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 33% happened after dark.
- 11% were hit-and-run.
Where motorcycle crashes cluster
Spots with 3 or more reported crashes within about 250 m, worst first.
- 015 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Union Av & Bernard St
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. 60% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 40 mph.
- Cover your brakes through the junction and watch the front wheels of cars waiting to pull out or turn left. Drivers misjudge how fast a motorcycle is coming.
- Wear bright or reflective gear and use your high beam where you can.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 027 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Wible Rd & Brundage Ln
Falls and fixed objects
3 of 7 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. Traffic is posted at about 45 mph.
- Enter slower than feels necessary and watch for gravel, sand and diesel. Look through the bend.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 038 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Rosedale Hwy & Buck Owens Bl
Falls and fixed objects
3 of 8 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. Traffic is posted at about 45 mph.
- Enter slower than feels necessary and watch for gravel, sand and diesel. Look through the bend.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 044 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Hageman Rd & Coffee Rd
A mix of crash types
50% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 55 mph.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Ride within your sight distance and keep extra space.
- Wear bright or reflective gear and use your high beam where you can.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 056 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Stine Rd & Ming Av
Side-impact crashes at the junction
5 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. Traffic is posted at about 45 mph.
- Cover your brakes through the junction and watch the front wheels of cars waiting to pull out or turn left. Drivers misjudge how fast a motorcycle is coming.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 063 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Rosedale Hwy & Jet Wy
Head-on crashes
2 of 3 crashes were head-on, often riding against traffic or a driver cutting across the centre line on a turn. Traffic is posted at about 50 mph.
- Keep a lane position that gives you room on bends, and watch for oncoming cars cutting corners or turning left.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 073 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
White Ln & Ashe Rd
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. 67% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 55 mph.
- Cover your brakes through the junction and watch the front wheels of cars waiting to pull out or turn left. Drivers misjudge how fast a motorcycle is coming.
- Wear bright or reflective gear and use your high beam where you can.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 085 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
White Ln & Hughes Ln
Side-impact crashes at the junction
2 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. 60% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 45 mph. 40% were hit-and-run.
- Cover your brakes through the junction and watch the front wheels of cars waiting to pull out or turn left. Drivers misjudge how fast a motorcycle is coming.
- Wear bright or reflective gear and use your high beam where you can.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 095 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Union Av & Brundage Ln
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. Traffic is posted at about 40 mph.
- Cover your brakes through the junction and watch the front wheels of cars waiting to pull out or turn left. Drivers misjudge how fast a motorcycle is coming.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 104 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
SR-99 Northbound & Ming Avenue
A mix of crash types
Traffic is posted at about 65 mph.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Ride within your sight distance and keep extra space.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
Motorcycle crashes in Bakersfield by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 82 | 21 | |
| 2022 | 72 | 15 | |
| 2023 | 90 | 24 | |
| 2024 | 97 | 21 | |
| 2025 | 74 | 16 |
Common questions about Bakersfield
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Bakersfield?
- The worst spot is Union Av & Bernard St, with 5 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2025, 3 of them serious or fatal. Next are Wible Rd & Brundage Ln (7) and Rosedale Hwy & Buck Owens Bl (8).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Bakersfield?
- 23 crashes killed someone in 415 reported motorcycle crashes in Bakersfield from 2021–2025, and 97 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Bakersfield?
- 28% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 20% involved a car turning left across the rider. 33% happened after dark. 11% were hit-and-run.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Bakersfield each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 82, 2022: 72, 2023: 90, 2024: 97, 2025: 74. 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.
Nearby cities
Source: California Crash Reporting System (CCRS), 2021–2025. Only crashes reported with map coordinates are counted, and many city police reports have none, so these numbers are lower than the real total. Freeway crashes are included: many motorcycle crashes in cities happen on them. Busy streets show more crashes partly because more people use them. Data last rebuilt 2026-09-22. How the data works.