Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in San Jose, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 753
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 163
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 41
- fatal
- street with the most
- I-280
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs San Jose 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: 753 motorcycle crashes were reported in San Jose from 2021–2026, 163 of them serious or fatal (41 fatal). The most were at US-101 & Oakland Rd (20). 25% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 9% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in San Jose
- 25% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 9% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 26% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in San Jose
- 26% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 99% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 22% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.).
- 2% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 25 crashes: holes or deep ruts (11), loose material on the road (4), a construction or repair zone (4), something blocking the road (4) and flooding (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.
- 0120 crashes · 4 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
US-101 & Oakland Rd
Falls and fixed objects
15 of 20 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. 55% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 65 mph.
- 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.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 0216 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
US-101 & I-880
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 3 of 16, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 8 of 16 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.
- 038 crashes · 4 serious or fatal
I-280 & Saratoga Ave
Falls and fixed objects
4 of 8 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. 50% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 65 mph.
- 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.
- Traffic is fast here: at this speed you cross a junction in about a second, so scan early.
- 049 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
I-280 & Meridian Ave
Falls and fixed objects
Police reports: in 4 of 9, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 4 of 9 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.
- 057 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
US-101 & Trimble Rd
Falls and fixed objects
4 of 7 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.
- 068 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-280 & Bird Ave
Falls and fixed objects
4 of 8 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. Traffic is posted at about 65 mph. 38% were hit-and-run.
- 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.
- 074 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-280 & Almaden Blvd
Falls and fixed objects
2 of 4 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.
- 0810 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
SR-87 & I-280
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 3 of 10, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 4 of 10 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.
- 095 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-280 & SR-17
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 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.
- 108 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
SR-87 & I-280
Falls and fixed objects
3 of 8 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 Jose
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| I-280 | 126 | 24 |
| US-101 | 105 | 23 |
| I-880 | 75 | 13 |
| SR-87 | 67 | 11 |
| SR-85 | 52 | 14 |
| I-680 | 48 | 4 |
| SR-237 | 20 | 2 |
| Meridian Ave | 11 | 3 |
| SR-17 | 10 | 1 |
| Curtner Ave | 8 | 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 San Jose
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 111 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 70 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 24 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 21 | |
| drove under the influence | 9 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 7 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 6 | |
| followed too closely | 6 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 267 cars, 112 SUVs, 40 pickup trucks, 13 minivans, 3 truck or semis and 2 buses. In 20 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 San Jose by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 95 | 26 | |
| 2022 | 109 | 30 | |
| 2023 | 137 | 25 | |
| 2024 | 144 | 32 | |
| 2025 | 150 | 30 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 118 | 20 |
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 Jose
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in San Jose?
- The worst spot is US-101 & Oakland Rd, with 20 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 4 of them serious or fatal. Next are US-101 & I-880 (16) and I-280 & Saratoga Ave (8).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in San Jose?
- 41 crashes killed someone in 753 reported motorcycle crashes in San Jose from 2021–2026, and 163 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in San Jose?
- 25% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 9% involved a car turning left across the rider. 26% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in San Jose, compared with California?
- Of 753 reported motorcycle crashes in San Jose from 2021–2026: 26% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 99% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 22% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.). 2% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it. The reports name something about the road itself in 25 crashes: holes or deep ruts (11), loose material on the road (4), a construction or repair zone (4), something blocking the road (4) and flooding (2).
- Which streets in San Jose have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: I-280 (126), US-101 (105), I-880 (75), SR-87 (67), SR-85 (52). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in San Jose each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 95, 2022: 109, 2023: 137, 2024: 144, 2025: 150, 2026 (through Oct 19): 118. 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 San Jose
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.