Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Downey, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 232
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 36
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 4
- fatal
- street with the most
- I-5
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1I-105 & Dunrobin Ave8 crashes · 2 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 5 of 8, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
- 2I-5 & Lakewood Blvd10 crashes · 2 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 6 of 10, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side.
- 3Firestone Blvd & Myrtle St8 crashes · 2 serious or fatalSide-impact crashes at the junction
Is Downey 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: 232 motorcycle crashes were reported in Downey from 2021–2026, 36 of them serious or fatal (4 fatal). The most were at I-105 & Dunrobin Ave (8). 20% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 12% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in Downey
- 20% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 12% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 22% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Downey
- 22% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 99% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 16% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.).
- 1% (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 · 1 fatal
I-105 & Dunrobin Ave
Riders hit from behind
Police reports: in 5 of 8, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 4 of 8 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind. Traffic is posted at about 65 mph.
- Check your mirrors when slowing, flash your brake light, and leave an escape gap when you stop in traffic.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 0210 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-5 & Lakewood Blvd
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 6 of 10, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 6 of 10 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 · 2 serious or fatal
Firestone Blvd & Myrtle St
Side-impact crashes at the junction
3 of 8 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.
- 049 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
I-105 & Woodruff Ave
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 5 of 9, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 4 of 9 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.
- 059 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
I-5 & I-605
Riders hit from behind
5 of 9 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind. Traffic is posted at about 65 mph.
- Check your mirrors when slowing, flash your brake light, and leave an escape gap when you stop in traffic.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 069 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
I-605 & I-605
Falls and fixed objects
6 of 9 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.
- 075 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-605 & Florence Ave
Close passes and cars turning alongside
3 of 5 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door. 40% happened after dark. 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.
- 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.
- 084 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-105 & Ardis Ave
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 2 of 4, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 3 of 4 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.
- 097 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Florence Ave & Downey Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
4 of 7 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.
- 109 crashes
I-5 & Lakewood Blvd
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 3 of 9, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 5 of 9 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 Downey
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| I-5 | 55 | 6 |
| I-105 | 43 | 9 |
| I-605 | 28 | 5 |
| Florence Ave | 22 | 4 |
| Firestone Blvd | 20 | 2 |
| Paramount Blvd | 8 | 2 |
| Lakewood Blvd | 7 | 1 |
| Imperial Hwy | 7 | 0 |
| Downey Ave | 6 | 1 |
| Telegraph Rd | 4 | 2 |
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 Downey
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 40 | |
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 31 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 15 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 7 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 5 | |
| ran a red light | 3 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 3 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 104 cars, 45 SUVs, 10 pickup trucks, 6 truck or semis, 4 minivans and 1 bus. In 2 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 Downey by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 45 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 41 | 6 | |
| 2023 | 39 | 8 | |
| 2024 | 40 | 8 | |
| 2025 | 37 | 4 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 30 | 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 Downey
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Downey?
- The worst spot is I-105 & Dunrobin Ave, with 8 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are I-5 & Lakewood Blvd (10) and Firestone Blvd & Myrtle St (8).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Downey?
- 4 crashes killed someone in 232 reported motorcycle crashes in Downey from 2021–2026, and 36 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Downey?
- 20% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 12% involved a car turning left across the rider. 22% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Downey, compared with California?
- Of 232 reported motorcycle crashes in Downey from 2021–2026: 22% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 99% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 16% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 6 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.). 1% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Downey have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: I-5 (55), I-105 (43), I-605 (28), Florence Ave (22), Firestone Blvd (20). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Downey each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 45, 2022: 41, 2023: 39, 2024: 40, 2025: 37, 2026 (through Oct 19): 30. 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 Downey
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.