California Motorcycle Accident Statistics: Latest Federal and State Data

Reviewed September 1, 2026. This page uses the newest available federal motorcycle data for 2024 and the newest detailed California crash data for 2023. The years are kept separate because national and state datasets are released on different schedules.

Motorcyclists remain a small share of road users but a disproportionately large share of people killed in traffic crashes. The latest federal report counted 6,228 motorcyclist deaths nationwide in 2024. California recorded 522 of those deaths, the third-highest state total after Florida and Texas. California’s more detailed collision, injury, demographic, and county breakdown currently covers 2023.

Motorcycle statistics at a glance

The 2024 national fatality total was 2.2% lower than the finalized 2023 total of 6,366. The estimated number injured rose 5.2%, from 82,567 in 2023 to 86,887 in 2024. These movements should be read separately: FARS fatalities are counts, while CRSS injuries are survey-based estimates. Both comparisons come from the July 2026 NHTSA report.

How to read the years and datasets

There is no single database that measures every motorcycle crash in real time. This page identifies the occurrence year, geography, unit, and status of each figure so unlike numbers are not blended.

• FARS is NHTSA’s census of fatal motor-vehicle traffic crashes on public trafficways. A fatality is a person killed; a fatal crash is an event and can involve more than one death. The 2024 figures in NHTSA’s Annual Report File, or ARF, may be revised when finalized. See NHTSA’s FARS description.
• CRSS is NHTSA’s sampled system for estimating nonfatal crashes and injuries nationwide. An estimated injury count is not a census and should not be described as an exact total. The methodology is described in NHTSA’s 2024 motorcycle report.
• SWITRS is California’s statewide traffic-records system. CHP says its former public ISWTRS interface was replaced by the California Crash Reporting System in January 2025, with raw crash files collected by CHP and allied agencies available through California Open Data. See the CHP system notice.
• Motorcyclist means a motorcycle rider or passenger. When a source says rider or operator, it refers only to the person operating the motorcycle.

NHTSA also cautions that its vehicle classifications for 2020 and later are not comparable with 2019 and earlier classifications for analyses involving vehicle type. Beginning in 2022, FARS and CRSS stopped classifying motorized bicycles as motorcycles. Long-term federal trends that cross those breaks therefore require care. These caveats are stated in NHTSA’s current report.

California motorcycle deaths and injuries in 2023

California’s latest detailed statewide profile uses 2023 FARS ARF and provisional 2023 SWITRS data. It should not be relabeled as 2024 data merely because a report was released later.

For context, OTS reports 491 California motorcyclist deaths in 2019, 649 in 2022, and 583 in 2023. The 2023 total was therefore lower than 2022 but still nearly 19% above 2019. See the California OTS Motorcycle Safety program page. To compare motorcycle deaths with other road-user groups, see GJEL’s California car accident statistics.

California motorcyclist injury trend

Leading factors in California fatal and serious-injury motorcycle crashes

For 2023, the OTS-funded SafeTREC analysis identifies the following primary crash factors in California motorcycle fatal and serious-injury crashes:

A “primary crash factor” is the factor recorded in the collision data. These percentages describe fatal and serious-injury crashes, not all motorcycle crashes, and they do not decide legal fault in a particular case. “Unsafe lane change” also should not be treated as a synonym for lawful lane splitting.

Crash type, location, time, and rider demographics

• Crash type: Among California motorcycle fatal and serious-injury crashes, 31.1% were broadside, 15.9% overturned, 15.5% hit-object, 14.5% rear-end, and 12.5% sideswipe crashes.
• Urban and rural: Urban locations accounted for 73% of California fatal motorcycle crashes; 27% occurred on rural roads. The 73% figure describes urban location, not intersections.
• Road type: Principal arterials accounted for 31% of fatal motorcycle crashes, minor arterials 28%, major collectors 16%, and interstates 10%.
• Day and time: Saturday and Sunday accounted for 41.4% of California fatal motorcycle crashes. The peak three-hour period was Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. For serious-injury crashes, the weekend share was 34.9%, and the peak was Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m.
• Sex and age: Males represented 95% of people fatally injured and 89% of people seriously injured in California motorcycle crashes. Males ages 25–34 were the largest represented group, accounting for 22% of fatalities and 26.1% of serious injuries.

All five breakdowns above are for occurrence year 2023 and come from the OTS-funded SafeTREC analysis of FARS ARF and provisional SWITRS data. They use different units—fatal crashes, fatal and serious-injury crashes, or injured people—so the percentages are not interchangeable.

California counties with the largest 2023 totals

These are raw county totals, not rates. A larger total can reflect population, road mileage, traffic, motorcycle exposure, or other factors. It does not by itself establish that a county or city is more dangerous for an individual rider.

Current national crash patterns that matter in practice

NHTSA’s 2024 national data adds context that should not be mislabeled as California-specific:

• 37% of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding.
• 35% of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes did not have a valid motorcycle license.
• 25% of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were alcohol-impaired. Among riders killed in single-vehicle crashes, 40% were alcohol-impaired.
• In 45% of two-vehicle fatal crashes involving a motorcycle, the other vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking.
• 66% of motorcyclist fatalities occurred in urban areas, while 38% occurred at intersections. These are separate measures.

Occurrence year: 2024. Geography: United States. Source and status: FARS 2024 ARF, which may later be revised, in NHTSA’s Motorcycles: 2024 Data.

What happened to the preliminary 2023 national number?

Some older articles report 6,335 U.S. motorcyclist deaths and 82,564 estimated injuries for 2023. Those were NHTSA’s preliminary 2023 ARF and CRSS figures. NHTSA’s July 2026 publication now lists finalized 2023 fatalities at 6,366 and the 2023 injury estimate at 82,567. The newer figures should be used when referring to 2023 today. The same report shows that 2024 fatalities then declined to 6,228 while estimated injuries rose to 86,887. Source: NHTSA, Motorcycles: 2024 Data.

Practical motorcycle safety steps

The statistics point to practical steps for riders and drivers. They cannot eliminate crash risk, but they address behaviors and conflicts that appear repeatedly in current records.

For motorcycle riders

• Obey the speed limit and reduce speed for traffic, visibility, weather, and road conditions.
• Never ride while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or fatigue.
• Maintain the appropriate motorcycle endorsement and consider formal or refresher training through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program.
• Wear a DOT-compliant helmet and protective, visible clothing. CHP states that a DOT-compliant helmet is required for all motorcycle riders in California.
• Anticipate left-turning vehicles, avoid blind spots, and scan for oil, gravel, potholes, and other surface hazards.

For drivers sharing the road

• Check mirrors and blind spots before turning, merging, or changing lanes.
• Signal early and look again for an approaching motorcycle before making a left turn.
• Do not intentionally block or impede a rider who is lane splitting.
• Do not drive while impaired or fatigued, and leave enough following distance.

These recommendations follow the California Highway Patrol’s motorcyclist-safety guidance and its motorcycle licensing, equipment, and riding guidance.

Is lane splitting legal in California?

Yes. California Vehicle Code section 21658.1 defines lane splitting as riding a two-wheeled motorcycle between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane. CHP says lane splitting is legal when performed in a safe and prudent manner, but warns that danger increases as overall speed and the speed difference between the motorcycle and surrounding traffic increase. See CHP’s lane-splitting safety guidance.

Current California data does not identify lane splitting as a standalone leading primary crash factor. It should not be confused with “unsafe lane change,” which represented 5.2% of 2023 California motorcycle fatal and serious-injury crashes in the SafeTREC analysis.

Frequently asked questions

What is the latest California motorcycle fatality number?

NHTSA’s latest federal state table reports 522 California motorcyclist deaths in 2024. That is a 2024 FARS ARF count and may be revised when finalized. The newest detailed California profile covers 2023, when OTS reported 583 deaths.

How many California motorcyclists were injured?

California OTS lists 11,414 injured motorcyclists in SWITRS for 2023, the latest year in its published five-year table. That number is injured people, not a count of unique collisions and not a serious-injury-only figure.

How many motorcycle crashes occurred in California?

The current primary sources used here do not publish a single, directly comparable “all motorcycle crashes” total alongside the latest fatality and injury figures. Deaths and injuries count people, while a crash count counts events; adding deaths and injuries does not produce the number of crashes. This page therefore reports each official measure using its own unit instead of estimating a total.

What is the leading factor in serious California motorcycle crashes?

Unsafe speed was the most frequently recorded primary factor in California motorcycle fatal and serious-injury crashes in 2023, at 28.2%. Improper turning was next at 19.8%, followed by automobile right of way at 19.3%. These are provisional SWITRS percentages for that defined severe-crash group, not all reported motorcycle crashes.

Are 73% of California motorcycle crashes at intersections?

No. The current California 73% figure refers to fatal motorcycle crashes in urban areas in 2023. It is not an intersection percentage. Nationally, NHTSA reports that 38% of motorcyclist fatalities occurred at intersections in 2024, based on records with known location.

Are motorcycles more dangerous than passenger cars?

On a vehicle-miles-traveled basis, yes. In 2024, NHTSA calculated a motorcycle fatality rate of 28.00 per 100 million miles, almost 27 times the passenger-car occupant rate of 1.05. The motorcycle injury rate was 391 per 100 million miles, nearly five times the passenger-car occupant rate of 86. These are national rates that include riders and passengers.

Which California county has the most motorcycle deaths?

Los Angeles County had the largest raw total in the 2023 SafeTREC table, with 125 motorcyclist fatalities. San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange followed. Raw totals should not be interpreted as individual risk because they do not adjust for population, motorcycle use, mileage, or traffic exposure.

Related California motorcycle resources

• California motorcycle accident lawyers
• San Jose motorcycle accident lawyers
• Oakland motorcycle accident lawyers
• California car accident statistics

Talk with a California motorcycle accident attorney

Statistics describe patterns across many crashes; they do not determine fault, insurance coverage, or the value of an individual claim. If you were seriously injured or lost a family member in a California motorcycle crash, contact GJEL Accident Attorneys to request a free case review.

Primary data sources

• NHTSA, Motorcycles: 2024 Data, DOT HS 813 824, published July 2026
• NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System
• California Office of Traffic Safety, California Traffic Safety Quick Stats, updated July 2025
• California Office of Traffic Safety, FY 2024 Annual Report, published September 2025
• SafeTREC, 2025 Traffic Safety Facts: Motorcycle Safety, prepared with OTS support from FARS and SWITRS data
• California Highway Patrol, California Motorcyclist Safety
• California Vehicle Code section 21658.1, lane splitting