Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Santa Ana, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 565
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 103
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 17
- fatal
- street with the most
- I-5
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1I-5 & 4th St21 crashes · 4 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 5 of 21, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear.
- 2I-5 & SR-2216 crashes · 5 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 5 of 16, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side.
- 3SR-22 & La Veta Ave10 crashes · 6 serious or fatalFalls and fixed objects
Is Santa Ana 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: 565 motorcycle crashes were reported in Santa Ana from 2021–2026, 103 of them serious or fatal (17 fatal). The most were at I-5 & 4th St (21). 18% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 17% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in Santa Ana
- 18% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 17% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 27% happened after dark.
- 11% were hit-and-run.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Santa Ana
- 27% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 77% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 18% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.).
- 0% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- The reports name something about the road itself in 18 crashes: a construction or repair zone (14) and holes or deep ruts (4).
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.
- 0121 crashes · 4 serious or fatal
I-5 & 4th St
Riders hit from behind
Police reports: in 5 of 21, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 12 of 21 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.
- 0216 crashes · 5 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-5 & SR-22
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 5 of 16, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 6 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.
- 0310 crashes · 6 serious or fatal · 2 fatal
SR-22 & La Veta Ave
Falls and fixed objects
9 of 10 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.
- 046 crashes · 4 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-5 & 4th St
Falls and fixed objects
4 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.
- 0513 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-5 & SR-55
Close passes and cars turning alongside
Police reports: in 3 of 13, a driver turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear. 6 of 13 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door. 46% 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.
- 067 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Dyer Rd & Pullman St
Riders hit from behind
3 of 7 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind. Traffic is posted at about 55 mph. 57% were hit-and-run.
- 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.
- 076 crashes · 4 serious or fatal
Bristol St & Memory Ln
Side-impact crashes at the junction
4 of 6 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 40 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.
- 0810 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
I-5 & 17th St
Falls and fixed objects
4 of 10 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.
- 0910 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
I-5 & Broadway
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.
- 107 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Harbor Blvd & Warner Ave
A mix of crash types
Traffic is posted at about 40 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.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in Santa Ana
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| I-5 | 117 | 22 |
| SR-55 | 70 | 17 |
| Bristol St | 41 | 11 |
| 1st St | 31 | 4 |
| Main St | 27 | 1 |
| Grand Ave | 24 | 1 |
| Harbor Blvd | 21 | 3 |
| SR-22 | 19 | 8 |
| Edinger Ave | 18 | 6 |
| Fairview St | 18 | 1 |
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 Santa Ana
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 51 | |
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 43 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 40 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 27 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 25 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 9 | |
| turned from the wrong position | 5 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 5 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 246 cars, 113 SUVs, 47 pickup trucks, 10 minivans, 6 truck or semis and 1 motorcycle. 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 Santa Ana by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 65 | 19 | |
| 2022 | 85 | 13 | |
| 2023 | 108 | 20 | |
| 2024 | 114 | 24 | |
| 2025 | 106 | 17 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 87 | 10 |
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 Santa Ana
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Santa Ana?
- The worst spot is I-5 & 4th St, with 21 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 4 of them serious or fatal. Next are I-5 & SR-22 (16) and SR-22 & La Veta Ave (10).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Santa Ana?
- 17 crashes killed someone in 565 reported motorcycle crashes in Santa Ana from 2021–2026, and 103 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Santa Ana?
- 18% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 17% involved a car turning left across the rider. 27% happened after dark. 11% were hit-and-run.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Santa Ana, compared with California?
- Of 565 reported motorcycle crashes in Santa Ana from 2021–2026: 27% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 77% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 18% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 5 p.m. (California: 5 p.m.). 0% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it. The reports name something about the road itself in 18 crashes: a construction or repair zone (14) and holes or deep ruts (4).
- Which streets in Santa Ana have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: I-5 (117), SR-55 (70), Bristol St (41), 1st St (31), Main St (27). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Santa Ana each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 65, 2022: 85, 2023: 108, 2024: 114, 2025: 106, 2026 (through Oct 19): 87. 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 Santa Ana
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.