Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Escondido, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 311
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 68
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 15
- fatal
- street with the most
- I-15
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1SR-78 & Nordahl Rd16 crashes · 2 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 7 of 16, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side.
- 2I-15 & Hale Ave12 crashes · 3 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 4 of 12, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side.
- 3I-15 & Valley Pkwy11 crashes · 2 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 4 of 11, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side.
Is Escondido 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: 311 motorcycle crashes were reported in Escondido from 2021–2026, 68 of them serious or fatal (15 fatal). The most were at SR-78 & Nordahl Rd (16). 20% 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 Escondido
- 20% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 19% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 23% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Escondido
- 23% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 63% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 22% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 7 a.m. (California: 5 p.m.).
- 3% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 11 crashes: a construction or repair zone (9) and loose material on the road (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.
- 0116 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
SR-78 & Nordahl Rd
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 7 of 16, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 7 of 16 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.
- 0212 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
I-15 & Hale Ave
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 4 of 12, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 5 of 12 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.
- 0311 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-15 & Valley Pkwy
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 4 of 11, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 8 of 11 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.
- 048 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-15 & SR-78
Falls and fixed objects
4 of 8 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.
- 054 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Washington Ave & Escondido Blvd
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Ride within your sight distance and keep extra space.
- 067 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Rock Springs Rd & Mission Ave
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Ride within your sight distance and keep extra space.
- 078 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
I-15 & 9th Ave
Riders hit from behind
Police reports: in 4 of 8, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 3 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.
- 087 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Via Rancho Py & I-15
Riders hit from behind
4 of 7 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind. Traffic is posted at about 50 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.
- 099 crashes
I-15 & Valley Pkwy
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 4 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.
- 105 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-15 & Beethoven Dr
Close passes and cars turning alongside
4 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.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in Escondido
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| I-15 | 95 | 18 |
| SR-78 | 33 | 10 |
| Valley Py | 23 | 6 |
| Mission Ave | 14 | 2 |
| Bear Valley Py | 12 | 4 |
| Centre City Py | 12 | 3 |
| Washington Ave | 10 | 4 |
| Broadway | 9 | 0 |
| El Norte Py | 6 | 3 |
| Juniper St | 6 | 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 Escondido
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 54 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 32 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 15 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 15 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 8 | |
| ran a red light | 6 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 3 | |
| drove under the influence | 3 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 138 cars, 41 pickup trucks, 37 SUVs, 7 truck or semis and 7 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 Escondido by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 43 | 13 | |
| 2022 | 50 | 15 | |
| 2023 | 47 | 13 | |
| 2024 | 72 | 9 | |
| 2025 | 62 | 9 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 37 | 9 |
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 Escondido
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Escondido?
- The worst spot is SR-78 & Nordahl Rd, with 16 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are I-15 & Hale Ave (12) and I-15 & Valley Pkwy (11).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Escondido?
- 15 crashes killed someone in 311 reported motorcycle crashes in Escondido from 2021–2026, and 68 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Escondido?
- 20% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 19% involved a car turning left across the rider. 23% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Escondido, compared with California?
- Of 311 reported motorcycle crashes in Escondido from 2021–2026: 23% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 63% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 22% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 7 a.m. (California: 5 p.m.). 3% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it. The reports name something about the road itself in 11 crashes: a construction or repair zone (9) and loose material on the road (2).
- Which streets in Escondido have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: I-15 (95), SR-78 (33), Valley Py (23), Mission Ave (14), Bear Valley Py (12). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Escondido each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 43, 2022: 50, 2023: 47, 2024: 72, 2025: 62, 2026 (through Oct 19): 37. 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.