Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Palmdale, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 213
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 62
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 13
- fatal
- street with the most
- SR-14
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs Palmdale 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: 213 motorcycle crashes were reported in Palmdale from 2021–2026, 62 of them serious or fatal (13 fatal). The most were at SR-14 & 10th Street West (3). 23% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 24% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in Palmdale
- 23% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 24% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 33% happened after dark.
- 11% were hit-and-run.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Palmdale
- 33% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 84% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 29% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 3 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.
- 013 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 2 fatal
SR-14 & 10th Street West
Falls and fixed objects
2 of 3 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.
- 024 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
SR-138 & 16th St E
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. 50% 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.
- 033 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
47th St East & Minstrel Dr
Side-impact crashes at the junction
2 of 3 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. 67% 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.
- 043 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
25th St East & Old Harold Rd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
3 of 3 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
Sierra Hwy & Avenue M
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. 50% 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.
- 064 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
47th St East & Avenue S
Close passes and cars turning alongside
2 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 55 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.
- 076 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Avenue S & Bela St
A mix of crash types
Traffic is posted at about 45 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.
- 083 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Avenue M & 30th St East
Side-impact crashes at the junction
2 of 3 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. 67% 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.
- 094 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Palmdale Blvd & 47th St East
Falls and fixed objects
4 of 4 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved.
- Enter slower than feels necessary and watch for gravel, sand and diesel. Look through the bend.
- 105 crashes
10th St W & Rancho Vista Blvd
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% were hit-and-run.
- Don't linger in drivers' blind spots, and watch for cars changing lanes or turning into driveways alongside you.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in Palmdale
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| SR-14 | 18 | 8 |
| Palmdale Blvd | 17 | 4 |
| Avenue S | 12 | 5 |
| 47th St East | 10 | 6 |
| Sierra Hwy | 10 | 3 |
| Rancho Vista Blvd | 10 | 1 |
| 10th St W | 9 | 2 |
| Avenue M | 8 | 3 |
| Avenue R | 6 | 1 |
| 25th St East | 5 | 4 |
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 Palmdale
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield while turning left | 17 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 10 | |
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 9 | |
| drove under the influence | 7 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 5 | |
| turned from the wrong position | 5 | |
| ran a red light | 5 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 4 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 100 cars, 31 SUVs, 24 pickup trucks, 8 minivans, 1 truck or semi and 1 bus. In 8 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 Palmdale by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 48 | 17 | |
| 2022 | 30 | 10 | |
| 2023 | 37 | 9 | |
| 2024 | 36 | 12 | |
| 2025 | 39 | 11 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 23 | 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 Palmdale
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Palmdale?
- The worst spot is SR-14 & 10th Street West, with 3 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 2 of them serious or fatal. Next are SR-138 & 16th St E (4) and 47th St East & Minstrel Dr (3).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Palmdale?
- 13 crashes killed someone in 213 reported motorcycle crashes in Palmdale from 2021–2026, and 62 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Palmdale?
- 23% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 24% involved a car turning left across the rider. 33% happened after dark. 11% were hit-and-run.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Palmdale, compared with California?
- Of 213 reported motorcycle crashes in Palmdale from 2021–2026: 33% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 84% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 29% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 3 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 Palmdale have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: SR-14 (18), Palmdale Blvd (17), Avenue S (12), 47th St East (10), Sierra Hwy (10). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Palmdale each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 48, 2022: 30, 2023: 37, 2024: 36, 2025: 39, 2026 (through Oct 19): 23. 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.