Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Cupertino, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 54
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 13
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 2
- fatal
- street with the most
- I-280
- street with the most
Where they cluster
Is Cupertino 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: 54 motorcycle crashes were reported in Cupertino from 2021–2026, 13 of them serious or fatal (2 fatal). The most were at I-280 & Wolfe Rd (8). 26% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 11% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in Cupertino
- 26% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 11% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 13% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Cupertino
- 13% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 94% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 24% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.).
- 0% (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.
- 018 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-280 & Wolfe Rd
Falls and fixed objects
4 of 8 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. 50% 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.
- 027 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-280 & SR-85
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 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.
- 033 crashes
I-280 & Lawrence Expressway
Close passes and cars turning alongside
2 of 3 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.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in Cupertino
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| I-280 | 26 | 7 |
| SR-85 | 8 | 2 |
| Stevens Creek Blvd | 5 | 0 |
| De Anza Blvd | 4 | 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 Cupertino
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 10 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 6 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 3 | |
| ran a red light | 2 | |
| turned from the wrong position | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 21 cars, 9 SUVs, 1 pickup truck and 1 minivan.
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 Cupertino by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 14 | 4 | |
| 2025 | 11 | 3 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 8 | 1 |
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 Cupertino
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Cupertino?
- The worst spot is I-280 & Wolfe Rd, with 8 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are I-280 & SR-85 (7) and I-280 & Lawrence Expressway (3).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Cupertino?
- 2 crashes killed someone in 54 reported motorcycle crashes in Cupertino from 2021–2026, and 13 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Cupertino?
- 26% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 11% involved a car turning left across the rider. 13% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Cupertino, compared with California?
- Of 54 reported motorcycle crashes in Cupertino from 2021–2026: 13% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 94% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 24% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 3 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.). 0% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Cupertino have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: I-280 (26), SR-85 (8), Stevens Creek Blvd (5), De Anza Blvd (4). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Cupertino each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 4, 2022: 6, 2023: 11, 2024: 14, 2025: 11, 2026 (through Oct 19): 8. 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.
Places to ride to near Cupertino
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.