Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Chico, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 101
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 32
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 4
- fatal
- street with the most
- Esplanade
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 5 spots, explained- 1Main St & 8th St5 crashes · 3 serious or fatalSide-impact crashes at the junction
- 28th St & Salem St3 crashes · 2 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 2 of 3, a driver ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping.
- 3East Ave & Cohasset Rd3 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 2 of 3, a driver didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley.
Is Chico safe to ride a motorcycle?
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: 101 motorcycle crashes were reported in Chico from 2021–2026, 32 of them serious or fatal (4 fatal). The most were at Main St & 8th St (5). 32% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 19% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in Chico
- 32% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 19% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 32% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Chico
- 32% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 26% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 32% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 2 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.).
- 6% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
Set against all motorcycle crashes in California, 2021–2026. Without traffic counts these can't say how risky a street is.
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
Main St & 8th 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.
- 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.
- 023 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
8th St & Salem St
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 2 of 3, a driver ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping. 2 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.
- 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.
- 033 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
East Ave & Cohasset Rd
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 2 of 3, a driver didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley. 2 of 3 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door.
- Don't linger in drivers' blind spots, and watch for cars changing lanes or turning into driveways alongside you.
- 044 crashes
Warner St & 1st 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.
- 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.
- 053 crashes
East Ave & Tom Polk Ave
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Ride within your sight distance and keep extra space.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in Chico
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Esplanade | 11 | 4 |
| SR-99 | 11 | 2 |
| East Ave | 9 | 2 |
| Nord Ave | 5 | 2 |
| Mangrove Ave | 5 | 2 |
| Cohasset Rd | 5 | 1 |
| 20th St | 5 | 1 |
| Sacramento Ave | 4 | 1 |
| Lassen Ave | 3 | 3 |
| 1st Ave | 3 | 1 |
Reported motorcycle 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 Chico
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield while turning left | 10 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 9 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 6 | |
| drove under the influence | 5 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 4 | |
| ran a red light | 3 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 3 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 39 cars, 11 pickup trucks, 8 SUVs, 2 minivans, 2 truck or semis and 1 bus. In 8 crashes the report says the other driver had been drinking or was on drugs.
Reported motorcycle 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.
Motorcycle crashes in Chico by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 28 | 5 | |
| 2023 | 13 | 5 | |
| 2024 | 14 | 5 | |
| 2025 | 19 | 11 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 13 | 3 |
2026 runs to Oct 19, the newest report in the data, and police reports keep arriving for months, so it isn't a full year.
Common questions about Chico
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Chico?
- The worst spot is Main St & 8th St, with 5 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 3 of them serious or fatal. Next are 8th St & Salem St (3) and East Ave & Cohasset Rd (3).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Chico?
- 4 crashes killed someone in 101 reported motorcycle crashes in Chico from 2021–2026, and 32 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Chico?
- 32% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 19% involved a car turning left across the rider. 32% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Chico, compared with California?
- Of 101 reported motorcycle crashes in Chico from 2021–2026: 32% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 26% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 32% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 2 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.). 6% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Chico have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Esplanade (11), SR-99 (11), East Ave (9), Nord Ave (5), Mangrove Ave (5). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Chico each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 14, 2022: 28, 2023: 13, 2024: 14, 2025: 19, 2026 (through Oct 19): 13. 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. A report with no coordinates is placed at the intersection its street names give; reports with neither are not counted, so the real totals are higher.
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. 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 2026-10-22. How the data works.