Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Pasadena, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 221
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 51
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 6
- fatal
- street with the most
- I-210
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs Pasadena 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: 221 motorcycle crashes were reported in Pasadena from 2021–2026, 51 of them serious or fatal (6 fatal). The most were at I-210 & Wilson Ave (7). 20% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 18% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in Pasadena
- 20% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 18% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 22% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Pasadena
- 22% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 99% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 23% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 5 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: loose material on the road (3) and something blocking 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.
- 017 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-210 & Wilson Ave
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.
- 029 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
I-210 & Sunnyslope Ave
A mix of crash types
Police reports: in 3 of 9, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 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.
- 036 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-210 & Los Robles Ave
Close passes and cars turning alongside
4 of 6 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.
- 043 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
SR-134 & Orange Grove Blvd
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.
- 058 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
I-210 & Altadena Dr
Close passes and cars turning alongside
4 of 8 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.
- 066 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-210 & Orange Grove Blvd
Falls and fixed objects
3 of 6 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.
- 075 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-210 & Orange Grove Blvd
Falls and fixed objects
4 of 5 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.
- 085 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-210 & Lake Ave
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. 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.
- 095 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-210 & Marengo Ave
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 2 of 5, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 4 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 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.
- 104 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-210 & Allen Ave
Riders hit from behind
2 of 4 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 Pasadena
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| I-210 | 79 | 17 |
| Colorado Blvd | 16 | 4 |
| SR-134 | 9 | 2 |
| Fair Oaks Ave | 8 | 2 |
| Lake Ave | 7 | 2 |
| Orange Grove Blvd | 7 | 2 |
| Del Mar Blvd | 6 | 4 |
| California Blvd | 6 | 3 |
| Villa St | 4 | 2 |
| Washington Blvd | 4 | 2 |
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 Pasadena
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 31 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 22 | |
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 17 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 8 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 4 | |
| didn't yield at an intersection | 2 | |
| ran a red light | 2 | |
| turned from the wrong position | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 107 cars, 32 SUVs, 13 pickup trucks, 7 minivans, 3 truck or semis and 1 bus. In 5 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 Pasadena by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 32 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 29 | 12 | |
| 2023 | 42 | 5 | |
| 2024 | 40 | 11 | |
| 2025 | 50 | 11 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 28 | 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 Pasadena
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Pasadena?
- The worst spot is I-210 & Wilson Ave, with 7 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are I-210 & Sunnyslope Ave (9) and I-210 & Los Robles Ave (6).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Pasadena?
- 6 crashes killed someone in 221 reported motorcycle crashes in Pasadena from 2021–2026, and 51 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Pasadena?
- 20% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 18% involved a car turning left across the rider. 22% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Pasadena, compared with California?
- Of 221 reported motorcycle crashes in Pasadena from 2021–2026: 22% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 99% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 23% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 5 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: loose material on the road (3) and something blocking the road (2).
- Which streets in Pasadena have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: I-210 (79), Colorado Blvd (16), SR-134 (9), Fair Oaks Ave (8), Lake Ave (7). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Pasadena each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 32, 2022: 29, 2023: 42, 2024: 40, 2025: 50, 2026 (through Oct 19): 28. 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 Pasadena
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.