Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Santa Barbara, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 152
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 50
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 4
- fatal
- street with the most
- US-101
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs Santa Barbara 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: 152 motorcycle crashes were reported in Santa Barbara from 2021–2026, 50 of them serious or fatal (4 fatal). The most were at US-101 & Milpas St (7). 36% 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 Santa Barbara
- 36% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 18% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 24% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Santa Barbara
- 24% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 66% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 33% (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.
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 · 4 serious or fatal
US-101 & Milpas St
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.
- 024 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
US-101 & Cabrillo Blvd
Riders hit from behind
Police reports: in 2 of 4, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 4 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.
- 036 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
US-101 & Calle Real
Close passes and cars turning alongside
3 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.
- 045 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Castillo St & Montecito St
Falls and fixed objects
3 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.
- 054 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Canon Perdido St & Marilla Ave
Falls and fixed objects
2 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.
- 064 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Haley St & State St
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.
- 073 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
State St & Calle Real
A mix of crash types
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Ride within your sight distance and keep extra space.
- 083 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Milpas St & Mason St
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 2 of 3, a driver didn't yield while turning left. 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.
- 094 crashes
Carrillo St & SR-101
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.
- 103 crashes
Haley St & Santa Barbara St
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.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in Santa Barbara
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| US-101 | 32 | 10 |
| State St | 8 | 5 |
| Cliff Dr | 8 | 4 |
| Milpas St | 7 | 2 |
| Las Positas Rd | 6 | 4 |
| Cabrillo Blvd | 6 | 1 |
| Chapala St | 5 | 4 |
| De La Vina St | 5 | 1 |
| Castillo St | 5 | 1 |
| Haley St | 5 | 0 |
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 Barbara
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 13 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 11 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 11 | |
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 9 | |
| drove under the influence | 6 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 6 | |
| turned from the wrong position | 6 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 4 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 53 cars, 26 SUVs, 14 pickup trucks, 5 minivans, 2 truck or semis and 1 bus. In 9 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 Barbara by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 30 | 9 | |
| 2023 | 35 | 10 | |
| 2024 | 26 | 8 | |
| 2025 | 14 | 7 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 23 | 9 |
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 Barbara
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Santa Barbara?
- The worst spot is US-101 & Milpas St, with 7 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 4 of them serious or fatal. Next are US-101 & Cabrillo Blvd (4) and US-101 & Calle Real (6).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Santa Barbara?
- 4 crashes killed someone in 152 reported motorcycle crashes in Santa Barbara from 2021–2026, and 50 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Santa Barbara?
- 36% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 18% involved a car turning left across the rider. 24% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Santa Barbara, compared with California?
- Of 152 reported motorcycle crashes in Santa Barbara from 2021–2026: 24% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 66% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 33% (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.
- Which streets in Santa Barbara have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: US-101 (32), State St (8), Cliff Dr (8), Milpas St (7), Las Positas Rd (6). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Santa Barbara each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 24, 2022: 30, 2023: 35, 2024: 26, 2025: 14, 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.
Places to ride to near Santa Barbara
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.