Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Oakland, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 835
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 156
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 28
- fatal
- street with the most
- I-880
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1I-880 & 29th Ave15 crashes · 3 serious or fatalClose passes and cars turning alongside
- 2Grand Ave & Poplar St9 crashes · 4 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 5 of 9, a driver didn't yield while turning left.
- 3I-80 & The Metering Lights9 crashes · 3 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 4 of 9, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side.
Is Oakland 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: 835 motorcycle crashes were reported in Oakland from 2021–2026, 156 of them serious or fatal (28 fatal). The most were at I-880 & 29th Ave (15). 19% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 14% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in Oakland
- 19% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 14% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 28% happened after dark.
- 17% were hit-and-run.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Oakland
- 28% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 97% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 19% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 5 p.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 17 crashes: holes or deep ruts (13), flooding (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.
- 0115 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
I-880 & 29th Ave
Close passes and cars turning alongside
9 of 15 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.
- 029 crashes · 4 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Grand Ave & Poplar St
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 5 of 9, a driver didn't yield while turning left. 5 of 9 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.
- 039 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-80 & The Metering Lights
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 4 of 9, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 7 of 9 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door. 44% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 50 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.
- 0411 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
High St & International Blvd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
5 of 11 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. 55% 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.
- 059 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-80 & Powell St
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 55 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.
- 0615 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
I-880 & Broadway
Close passes and cars turning alongside
6 of 15 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.
- 0710 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
International Blvd & 12th Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 3 of 10, a driver ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping. 4 of 10 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. 30% were hit-and-run.
- 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.
- 0812 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
International Blvd & Seminary Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 3 of 12, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 6 of 12 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.
- 0912 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-880 & Oak St
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.
- 109 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-580 & San Pablo Ave
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.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in Oakland
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| I-880 | 105 | 14 |
| I-580 | 98 | 20 |
| I-80 | 79 | 18 |
| International Blvd | 68 | 13 |
| SR-24 | 48 | 13 |
| Grand Ave | 19 | 5 |
| High St | 19 | 4 |
| Foothill Blvd | 19 | 3 |
| Macarthur Blvd | 17 | 5 |
| San Pablo Ave | 12 | 3 |
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 Oakland
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 95 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 58 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 48 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 46 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 38 | |
| ran a red light | 22 | |
| drove under the influence | 9 | |
| turned from the wrong position | 7 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 435 cars, 98 SUVs, 29 pickup trucks, 27 minivans, 8 truck or semis and 3 buses. In 26 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 Oakland by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 150 | 29 | |
| 2022 | 179 | 32 | |
| 2023 | 155 | 31 | |
| 2024 | 154 | 25 | |
| 2025 | 129 | 30 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 68 | 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 Oakland
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Oakland?
- The worst spot is I-880 & 29th Ave, with 15 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 3 of them serious or fatal. Next are Grand Ave & Poplar St (9) and I-80 & The Metering Lights (9).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Oakland?
- 28 crashes killed someone in 835 reported motorcycle crashes in Oakland from 2021–2026, and 156 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Oakland?
- 19% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 14% involved a car turning left across the rider. 28% happened after dark. 17% were hit-and-run.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Oakland, compared with California?
- Of 835 reported motorcycle crashes in Oakland from 2021–2026: 28% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 97% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 19% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 5 p.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 17 crashes: holes or deep ruts (13), flooding (2) and a construction or repair zone (2).
- Which streets in Oakland have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: I-880 (105), I-580 (98), I-80 (79), International Blvd (68), SR-24 (48). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Oakland each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 150, 2022: 179, 2023: 155, 2024: 154, 2025: 129, 2026 (through Oct 19): 68. 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.