Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Westminster, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 135
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 32
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 6
- fatal
- street with the most
- I-405
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explained- 1I-405 & Goldenwest St9 crashes · 3 serious or fatalPolice reports: in 3 of 9, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side.
- 2I-405 & Bolsa Chica Rd7 crashes · 3 serious or fatalFalls and fixed objects
- 3I-405 & Westminster Blvd5 crashes · 2 serious or fatalClose passes and cars turning alongside
Is Westminster 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: 135 motorcycle crashes were reported in Westminster from 2021–2026, 32 of them serious or fatal (6 fatal). The most were at I-405 & Goldenwest St (9). 28% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 16% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in Westminster
- 28% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 16% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 26% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Westminster
- 26% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 88% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster.
- 24% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- The busiest hour was 4 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 19 crashes: a construction or repair zone (16) and loose material on the road (3).
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.
- 019 crashes · 3 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-405 & Goldenwest St
Falls and fixed objects
Police reports: in 3 of 9, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 5 of 9 crashes were a fall or hitting an object, with no other vehicle involved. 56% 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.
- 027 crashes · 3 serious or fatal
I-405 & Bolsa Chica 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 55 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.
- 035 crashes · 2 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
I-405 & Westminster Blvd
Close passes and cars turning alongside
3 of 5 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door. 60% 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.
- 045 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
I-405 & Bolsa Ave
Falls and fixed objects
Police reports: in 2 of 5, a driver drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side. 2 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
Vallecito Dr & Hammon Pl
A mix of crash types
50% happened after dark. Traffic is posted at about 65 mph.
- No single crash pattern stands out here. Ride within your sight distance and keep extra space.
- 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.
- 064 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Willow Ln & Milton Ave
Side-impact crashes at the junction
2 of 4 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.
- 073 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Magnolia St & Westminster Blvd
Close passes and cars turning alongside
2 of 3 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door. Traffic is posted at about 45 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.
- 083 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Beach Blvd & 11th St
Riders hit from behind
2 of 3 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind. Traffic is posted at about 45 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.
- 093 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Bolsa Ave & Golden West Cir
A mix of crash types
Traffic is posted at about 45 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.
- 104 crashes
Bolsa Ave & Goldenwest St
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 45 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 Westminster
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| I-405 | 43 | 11 |
| Beach Blvd | 18 | 3 |
| Bolsa Ave | 10 | 3 |
| Goldenwest St | 8 | 1 |
| Mcfadden Ave | 6 | 1 |
| Westminster Blvd | 6 | 1 |
| Magnolia St | 5 | 2 |
| Bolsa Chica Rd | 4 | 1 |
| Brookhurst St | 4 | 1 |
| SR-22 | 4 | 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 Westminster
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 16 | |
| didn't yield while turning left | 9 | |
| drove too fast for conditions | 8 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 6 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 5 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 3 | |
| ran a red light | 2 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 53 cars, 23 SUVs, 6 pickup trucks, 3 truck or semis, 2 buses and 1 minivan. In 1 crash 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 Westminster by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 30 | 8 | |
| 2022 | 30 | 7 | |
| 2023 | 37 | 10 | |
| 2024 | 17 | 6 | |
| 2025 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 11 | 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 Westminster
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Westminster?
- The worst spot is I-405 & Goldenwest St, with 9 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 3 of them serious or fatal. Next are I-405 & Bolsa Chica Rd (7) and I-405 & Westminster Blvd (5).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Westminster?
- 6 crashes killed someone in 135 reported motorcycle crashes in Westminster from 2021–2026, and 32 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Westminster?
- 28% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 16% involved a car turning left across the rider. 26% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Westminster, compared with California?
- Of 135 reported motorcycle crashes in Westminster from 2021–2026: 26% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 88% (California: 80%) were on roads posted 40 mph or faster. 24% (California: 28%) left someone seriously hurt or killed. The busiest hour was 4 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 19 crashes: a construction or repair zone (16) and loose material on the road (3).
- Which streets in Westminster have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: I-405 (43), Beach Blvd (18), Bolsa Ave (10), Goldenwest St (8), Mcfadden Ave (6). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Westminster each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 30, 2022: 30, 2023: 37, 2024: 17, 2025: 10, 2026 (through Oct 19): 11. 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.