Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in El Cajon, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 180
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 59
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 7
- fatal
- street with the most
- I-8
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs El Cajon 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: 180 motorcycle crashes were reported in El Cajon from 2021–2026, 59 of them serious or fatal (7 fatal). The most were at I-8 & Magnolia Ave (7). 28% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 27% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in El Cajon
- 28% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 27% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 31% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in El Cajon
- 31% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 100% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 33% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 4 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 5 crashes: a construction or repair zone (5).
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.
- 017 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
I-8 & Magnolia Ave
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.
- 025 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Main St & Shady Ln
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. 40% 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.
- 035 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
East Main St & Jamacha Rd
Riders hit from behind
Police reports: in 2 of 5, a driver drove too fast for conditions. 3 of 5 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind. 60% 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.
- 044 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Jamacha Rd & Aladdin
Side-impact crashes at the junction
3 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.
- 054 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
1st St & Peach Ave
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Ride within your sight distance and keep extra space.
- 064 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Madison Ave & Wayne Ave
Falls and fixed objects
2 of 4 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. 50% happened after dark.
- 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.
- 073 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
SR-67 & Broadway
Falls and fixed objects
3 of 3 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. 100% 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.
- 087 crashes
I-8 & Ballantyne St
Riders hit from behind
3 of 7 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.
- 093 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
2nd St & Oakdale Ave
A mix of crash types
67% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 65 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.
- 103 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-8 & Mollison Ave
Riders hit from behind
2 of 3 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.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in El Cajon
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| I-8 | 37 | 8 |
| Main St | 26 | 7 |
| 2nd St | 12 | 6 |
| Washington Ave | 8 | 3 |
| Magnolia Ave | 7 | 2 |
| Mollison Ave | 7 | 2 |
| SR-67 | 6 | 4 |
| Chase Ave | 5 | 2 |
| Fletcher Pkwy | 5 | 2 |
| Jamacha Rd | 5 | 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 El Cajon
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield while turning left | 23 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 13 | |
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 8 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 7 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 6 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 5 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 5 | |
| drove under the influence | 4 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 70 cars, 22 pickup trucks, 19 SUVs and 5 minivans. 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 El Cajon by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 40 | 11 | |
| 2022 | 33 | 11 | |
| 2023 | 27 | 8 | |
| 2024 | 29 | 11 | |
| 2025 | 36 | 13 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 15 | 5 |
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 El Cajon
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in El Cajon?
- The worst spot is I-8 & Magnolia Ave, with 7 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 3 of them serious or fatal. Next are Main St & Shady Ln (5) and East Main St & Jamacha Rd (5).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in El Cajon?
- 7 crashes killed someone in 180 reported motorcycle crashes in El Cajon from 2021–2026, and 59 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in El Cajon?
- 28% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 27% involved a car turning left across the rider. 31% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in El Cajon, compared with California?
- Of 180 reported motorcycle crashes in El Cajon from 2021–2026: 31% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 100% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 33% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 4 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 5 crashes: a construction or repair zone (5).
- Which streets in El Cajon have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: I-8 (37), Main St (26), 2nd St (12), Washington Ave (8), Magnolia Ave (7). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in El Cajon each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 40, 2022: 33, 2023: 27, 2024: 29, 2025: 36, 2026 (through Oct 19): 15. 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.