Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in San Clemente, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 88
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 21
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 4
- fatal
- street with the most
- I-5
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1El Camino Real & Avenida Cabrillo12 crashes · 1 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 5 of 12, a driver didn't yield while turning left.
- 2South El Camino Real & Avenida Algodon7 crashes · 2 serious or fatalRiders hit from behind
- 3El Camino Real & Boca De La Playa3 crashes · 2 serious or fatalFalls and fixed objects
Is San Clemente 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: 88 motorcycle crashes were reported in San Clemente from 2021–2026, 21 of them serious or fatal (4 fatal). The most were at El Camino Real & Avenida Cabrillo (12). 33% 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 San Clemente
- 33% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 18% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 28% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in San Clemente
- 28% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 100% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 24% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 11 a.m. (California: 5 p.m.).
- 1% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
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.
- 0112 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
El Camino Real & Avenida Cabrillo
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 5 of 12, a driver didn't yield while turning left. 5 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. Traffic is posted at about 65 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.
- 027 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
South El Camino Real & Avenida Algodon
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.
- 033 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
El Camino Real & Boca De La Playa
Falls and fixed objects
2 of 3 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. 100% happened after dark.
- Enter slower than feels necessary and watch for gravel, sand and diesel. Look through the bend.
- Wear bright or reflective gear and use your high beam where you can.
- 045 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-5 & Camino De Estrella
Riders hit from behind
2 of 5 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind. 40% happened after dark. 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.
- 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.
- 054 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-5 & Camino De Estrella
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 2 of 4, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 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 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.
- 063 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-5 & Avenida Palizada
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.
- 074 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
I-5 & Avenida San Luis Rey
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.
- 083 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
El Camino Real & E Canada
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.
- 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.
- 094 crashes
I-5 & Avenida Vista Hermosa
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 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.
- 103 crashes
I-5 & Cristianitos Rd
Falls and fixed objects
3 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.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in San Clemente
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| I-5 | 34 | 10 |
| El Camino Real | 24 | 4 |
| Avenida La Pata | 5 | 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 San Clemente
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield while turning left | 8 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 5 | |
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 4 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 3 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 2 | |
| ran a red light | 2 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 24 cars, 17 SUVs, 6 minivans, 6 pickup trucks and 1 truck or semi.
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 San Clemente by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 18 | 4 | |
| 2023 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 21 | 2 | |
| 2025 | 15 | 5 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 5 | 1 |
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 San Clemente
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in San Clemente?
- The worst spot is El Camino Real & Avenida Cabrillo, with 12 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are South El Camino Real & Avenida Algodon (7) and El Camino Real & Boca De La Playa (3).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in San Clemente?
- 4 crashes killed someone in 88 reported motorcycle crashes in San Clemente from 2021–2026, and 21 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in San Clemente?
- 33% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 18% involved a car turning left across the rider. 28% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in San Clemente, compared with California?
- Of 88 reported motorcycle crashes in San Clemente from 2021–2026: 28% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 100% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 24% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 11 a.m. (California: 5 p.m.). 1% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in San Clemente have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: I-5 (34), El Camino Real (24), Avenida La Pata (5). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in San Clemente each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 18, 2022: 18, 2023: 11, 2024: 21, 2025: 15, 2026 (through Oct 19): 5. 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.