Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Costa Mesa, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 274
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 77
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 8
- fatal
- street with the most
- I-405
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1Newport Blvd & 17th St11 crashes · 6 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 5 of 11, a driver didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley.
- 2SR-55 & I-4057 crashes · 5 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 3 of 7, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side.
- 3SR-55 & Main St8 crashes · 4 serious or fatalClose passes and cars turning alongside
Is Costa Mesa 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: 274 motorcycle crashes were reported in Costa Mesa from 2021–2026, 77 of them serious or fatal (8 fatal). The most were at Newport Blvd & 17th St (11). 22% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 15% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in Costa Mesa
- 22% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 15% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 23% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Costa Mesa
- 23% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 98% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 28% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 12 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.).
- 1% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 6 crashes: a construction or repair zone (4) and holes or deep ruts (2).
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.
- 0111 crashes · 6 serious or fatal
Newport Blvd & 17th St
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 5 of 11, a driver didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley. 5 of 11 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.
- 027 crashes · 5 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
SR-55 & I-405
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 3 of 7, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 4 of 7 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door. Traffic is posted at about 65 mph.
- Don't linger in drivers' blind spots, and watch for cars changing lanes or turning into driveways alongside you.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 038 crashes · 4 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
SR-55 & Main St
Close passes and cars turning alongside
3 of 8 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door. Traffic is posted at about 65 mph.
- Don't linger in drivers' blind spots, and watch for cars changing lanes or turning into driveways alongside you.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 0414 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-405 & Fairview Rd
Falls and fixed objects
7 of 14 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. Traffic is posted at about 65 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.
- 055 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
I-405 & Bristol St
Falls and fixed objects
Police reports: in 2 of 5, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 2 of 5 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. 40% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 65 mph.
- Enter slower than feels necessary and watch for gravel, sand and diesel. Look through the bend.
- 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.
- 069 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
19th St & Meyer Pl
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 4 of 9, a driver didn't yield while turning left. 6 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.
- 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.
- 075 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-405 & SR-55
Close passes and cars turning alongside
2 of 5 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door. Traffic is posted at about 65 mph.
- Don't linger in drivers' blind spots, and watch for cars changing lanes or turning into driveways alongside you.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 085 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Newport Blvd & Industrial Way
Riders hit from behind
Police reports: in 2 of 5, a driver didn't yield while turning left. 3 of 5 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind. 40% happened after dark.
- Check your mirrors when slowing, flash your brake light, and leave an escape gap when you stop in traffic.
- Wear bright or reflective gear and use your high beam where you can.
- 096 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Newport Blvd & Broadway
A mix of crash types
33% were hit-and-run.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Ride within your sight distance and keep extra space.
- 104 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Harbor Blvd & Wilson St
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. 50% happened after dark.
- 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.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in Costa Mesa
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| I-405 | 58 | 11 |
| SR-55 | 54 | 17 |
| Newport Blvd | 17 | 6 |
| Harbor Blvd | 14 | 5 |
| 19th St | 13 | 2 |
| SR-73 | 13 | 2 |
| Adams Ave | 11 | 1 |
| 17th St | 9 | 2 |
| Bristol St | 8 | 4 |
| Placentia Ave | 8 | 4 |
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 Costa Mesa
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 26 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 26 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 15 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 14 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 11 | |
| drove under the influence | 5 | |
| ran a red light | 5 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 3 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 129 cars, 47 SUVs, 16 pickup trucks, 6 minivans, 2 truck or semis and 1 bus. In 6 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 Costa Mesa by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34 | 14 | |
| 2022 | 46 | 11 | |
| 2023 | 54 | 15 | |
| 2024 | 56 | 19 | |
| 2025 | 50 | 10 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 34 | 8 |
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 Costa Mesa
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Costa Mesa?
- The worst spot is Newport Blvd & 17th St, with 11 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 6 of them serious or fatal. Next are SR-55 & I-405 (7) and SR-55 & Main St (8).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Costa Mesa?
- 8 crashes killed someone in 274 reported motorcycle crashes in Costa Mesa from 2021–2026, and 77 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Costa Mesa?
- 22% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 15% involved a car turning left across the rider. 23% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Costa Mesa, compared with California?
- Of 274 reported motorcycle crashes in Costa Mesa from 2021–2026: 23% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 98% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 28% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 12 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.). 1% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it. The reports name something about the road itself in 6 crashes: a construction or repair zone (4) and holes or deep ruts (2).
- Which streets in Costa Mesa have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: I-405 (58), SR-55 (54), Newport Blvd (17), Harbor Blvd (14), 19th St (13). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Costa Mesa each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 34, 2022: 46, 2023: 54, 2024: 56, 2025: 50, 2026 (through Oct 19): 34. 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.