Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Malibu, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 103
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 44
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 4
- fatal
- street with the most
- SR-1
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1Pacific Coast Hwy & Big Rock Dr5 crashes · 4 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 2 of 5, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
- 2SR-1 & Carbon Beach Tr6 crashes · 3 serious or fatalSide-impact crashes at the junction
- 3SR-1 & Sweetwater Canyon Rd7 crashes · 2 serious or fatalRiders hit from behind
Is Malibu 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: 103 motorcycle crashes were reported in Malibu from 2021–2026, 44 of them serious or fatal (4 fatal). The most were at Pacific Coast Hwy & Big Rock Dr (5). 21% 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 Malibu
- 21% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 19% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 17% happened after dark.
- 15% were hit-and-run.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Malibu
- 17% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 43% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 2 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.).
- 0% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 4 crashes: something blocking the road (2) and a construction or repair zone (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.
- 015 crashes · 4 serious or fatal
Pacific Coast Hwy & Big Rock Dr
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 2 of 5, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 2 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. Traffic is posted at about 45 mph.
- 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.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 026 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
SR-1 & Carbon Beach Tr
Side-impact crashes at the junction
4 of 6 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.
- 037 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
SR-1 & Sweetwater Canyon Rd
Riders hit from behind
3 of 7 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind.
- Check your mirrors when slowing, flash your brake light, and leave an escape gap when you stop in traffic.
- 043 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Pacific Coast Hwy & Kanan Dume Rd
Riders hit from behind
2 of 3 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.
- 055 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Pch & Webb Way
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 50 mph. 40% were hit-and-run.
- 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.
- 063 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
SR-1 & Big Rock Dr
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Ride within your sight distance and keep extra space.
- 073 crashes
SR-1 & Sweetwater Canyon Dr
Riders hit from behind
2 of 3 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind.
- Check your mirrors when slowing, flash your brake light, and leave an escape gap when you stop in traffic.
- 083 crashes
SR-1 & Heathercliff Rd
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.
- Don't linger in drivers' blind spots, and watch for cars changing lanes or turning into driveways alongside you.
- 093 crashes
Pacific Coast Hwy & Bonsall Dr
Riders hit from behind
2 of 3 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind.
- Check your mirrors when slowing, flash your brake light, and leave an escape gap when you stop in traffic.
- 103 crashes
Pacific Coast Hwy & Tuna Canyon Rd
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. 67% happened after dark.
- 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.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in Malibu
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| SR-1 | 45 | 21 |
| Pacific Coast Hwy | 31 | 15 |
| Pch | 10 | 2 |
| Encinal Canyon Rd | 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 Malibu
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 13 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 8 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 4 | |
| turned from the wrong position | 3 | |
| followed too closely | 2 | |
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 49 cars, 18 SUVs, 6 pickup trucks, 3 minivans and 1 truck or semi. In 4 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 Malibu by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 22 | 8 | |
| 2022 | 19 | 8 | |
| 2023 | 23 | 10 | |
| 2024 | 20 | 10 | |
| 2025 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 12 | 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 Malibu
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Malibu?
- The worst spot is Pacific Coast Hwy & Big Rock Dr, with 5 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 4 of them serious or fatal. Next are SR-1 & Carbon Beach Tr (6) and SR-1 & Sweetwater Canyon Rd (7).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Malibu?
- 4 crashes killed someone in 103 reported motorcycle crashes in Malibu from 2021–2026, and 44 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Malibu?
- 21% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 19% involved a car turning left across the rider. 17% happened after dark. 15% were hit-and-run.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Malibu, compared with California?
- Of 103 reported motorcycle crashes in Malibu from 2021–2026: 17% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 43% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 2 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.). 0% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it. The reports name something about the road itself in 4 crashes: something blocking the road (2) and a construction or repair zone (2).
- Which streets in Malibu have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: SR-1 (45), Pacific Coast Hwy (31), Pch (10), Encinal Canyon Rd (4). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Malibu each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 22, 2022: 19, 2023: 23, 2024: 20, 2025: 7, 2026 (through Oct 19): 12. 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 Malibu
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.