Motorcycle crash statistics and hotspots in Whittier, CA
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- 155
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2026
- serious or fatal
- 28
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 7
- fatal
- street with the most
- Whittier Blvd
- street with the most
Where they cluster
All 10 spots, explainedIs Whittier 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: 155 motorcycle crashes were reported in Whittier from 2021–2026, 28 of them serious or fatal (7 fatal). The most were at Whittier Blvd & Glengarry Ave (4). 24% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 28% involved a car turning left across the rider.
Where to look next
How motorcyclists crash in Whittier
- 24% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip.
- 28% involved a car turning left across the rider.
- 36% happened after dark.
What the reports show about motorcycle crashes in Whittier
- 36% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark.
- 89% (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.).
- 3% (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.
- 014 crashes · 1 serious or fatal · 1 fatal
Whittier Blvd & Glengarry 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. 75% happened after dark.
- 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.
- Wear bright or reflective gear and use your high beam where you can.
- 026 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Washington Blvd & Whittier Blvd
A mix of crash types
83% happened after dark.
- 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.
- 035 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Whittier Blvd & Colima Rd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
4 of 5 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. 40% happened after dark.
- 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.
- Wear bright or reflective gear and use your high beam where you can.
- 043 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Michigan Ave & Whittier Blvd
Side-impact crashes at the junction
Police reports: in 2 of 3, a driver didn't yield while turning left. 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.
- 053 crashes · 2 serious or fatal
Beverly Blvd & Painter Ave
Falls and fixed objects
2 of 3 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.
- 066 crashes
I-605 & Whittier Blvd
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.
- 076 crashes
Whittier Blvd & Washington Ave
Riders hit from behind
3 of 6 crashes were rear-end: hit from behind.
- Check your mirrors when slowing, flash your brake light, and leave an escape gap when you stop in traffic.
- 083 crashes · 1 serious or fatal
Whittier Blvd & Pounds Ave
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
Whittier Blvd & Sorenson Ave
Close passes and cars turning alongside
3 of 4 crashes were sideswipes: a vehicle alongside, typically a close pass, a right hook, or an opening car door. 50% were hit-and-run.
- Don't linger in drivers' blind spots, and watch for cars changing lanes or turning into driveways alongside you.
- 104 crashes
Lindley Ave & Philadelphia St
Head-on crashes
2 of 4 crashes were head-on, often riding against traffic or a driver cutting across the centre line on a turn. 50% happened after dark.
- Keep a lane position that gives you room on bends, and watch for oncoming cars cutting corners or turning left.
- Wear bright or reflective gear and use your high beam where you can.
Streets with the most motorcycle crashes in Whittier
| Street | Crashes | Serious/fatal |
|---|---|---|
| Whittier Blvd | 37 | 8 |
| I-605 | 24 | 1 |
| Beverly Blvd | 12 | 4 |
| Painter Ave | 7 | 0 |
| Washington Blvd | 6 | 1 |
| Colima Rd | 6 | 0 |
| Hadley St | 5 | 0 |
| Lambert Rd | 4 | 2 |
| Norwalk Blvd | 3 | 2 |
| Santa Gertrudes Ave | 3 | 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 Whittier
| A driver… | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|
| didn't yield while turning left | 24 | |
| turned or changed lanes when it wasn't clear | 12 | |
| ran a stop sign or didn't yield after stopping | 10 | |
| drifted out of the lane or onto the wrong side | 9 | |
| didn't yield pulling out of a driveway or alley | 7 | |
| drove under the influence | 5 | |
| started or backed up when it wasn't clear | 3 |
The other vehicle, where the report names one: 72 cars, 19 SUVs, 16 pickup trucks, 3 minivans, 1 bus and 1 truck or semi. In 5 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 Whittier by year
| Year | Crashes | Serious/fatal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 20 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 23 | 6 | |
| 2023 | 27 | 5 | |
| 2024 | 29 | 8 | |
| 2025 | 31 | 3 | |
| 2026to Oct 19 | 25 | 3 |
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 Whittier
- Where do the most motorcycle crashes happen in Whittier?
- The worst spot is Whittier Blvd & Glengarry Ave, with 4 reported motorcycle crashes from 2021–2026, 1 of them serious or fatal. Next are Washington Blvd & Whittier Blvd (6) and Whittier Blvd & Colima Rd (5).
- How many motorcyclists were killed in Whittier?
- 7 crashes killed someone in 155 reported motorcycle crashes in Whittier from 2021–2026, and 28 left someone seriously hurt or killed.
- How do motorcyclists usually crash in Whittier?
- 24% involved no other vehicle, usually running wide or losing grip. 28% involved a car turning left across the rider. 36% happened after dark.
- When and where do motorcycle crashes happen in Whittier, compared with California?
- Of 155 reported motorcycle crashes in Whittier from 2021–2026: 36% (California: 25%) of crashes happened after dark. 89% (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.). 3% (California: 2%) were on a wet road, as the report records it.
- Which streets in Whittier have the most motorcycle crashes?
- By the street each police report names first, 2021–2026: Whittier Blvd (37), I-605 (24), Beverly Blvd (12), Painter Ave (7), Washington Blvd (6). Long, busy streets collect more crashes partly because more people use them.
- How many motorcycle crashes happen in Whittier each year?
- Reported motorcycle crashes with map locations: 2021: 20, 2022: 23, 2023: 27, 2024: 29, 2025: 31, 2026 (through Oct 19): 25. 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 Whittier
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.