Santa Clara County Bicycle Accident Study: Top Collision Hotspots

In a county known for innovation, bike commuting, and outdoor culture, thousands of cyclists are still colliding with vehicles on some of Santa Clara County’s busiest roads every year. Despite the prevalence of bicycles in Santa Clara County, bike-friendliness in many of its cities has improved only marginally, at best, and major traffic accidents remain a serious problem. Our experienced Santa Clara bicycle accident attorneys analyzed collision data to better understand where reported bike crashes occur most frequently.

We wanted to better understand where reported bike crashes were occurring most frequently throughout Santa Clara County. This updated analysis reviews manually verified intersection-level collision data sourced from California Highway Patrol SWITRS records from 2019–2023.

Using this data, we identified roads, streets, and intersections with recurring reported bicycle collision activity throughout Santa Clara County.

Key Findings

From 2019–2023, Santa Clara County had:

• 2,584 total bicycle collisions
• 2,605 total resulting injuries
• 289 severe injuries
• 39 cyclist fatalities

The following table highlights the intersections with the highest reported bicycle collision concentrations across Santa Clara County from 2019–2023.

The 25 Highest Concentrations of Reported Bicycle Collisions in Santa Clara County (2019–2023)

The Highest Reported Bicycle Collision Concentration Was at Berryessa Rd & N Capitol Ave in San Jose

Based on our intersection-level collision concentration analysis, the intersection of Berryessa Road and North Capitol Avenue in San Jose recorded the highest number of reported bicycle collisions in our dataset from 2019–2023. This intersection was associated with 7 reported crashes during that period, the highest concentration identified in our analysis.

Interestingly, the surrounding area is a heavily trafficked commercial and commuter corridor with a mix of retail centers, multilane roadways, and major vehicle thoroughfares. The intersection sits near:

• Shopping centers and commercial retail traffic
• Major commuter routes
• High-volume turning traffic
• Large multilane intersections
• Nearby transit and pedestrian activity

Although collision frequency alone does not fully determine roadway safety conditions, intersections with repeated bicycle collisions may indicate areas where cyclists encounter more complex crossings, heavier congestion, and greater interaction with vehicle traffic.

Crashes by City

Categorized by city, our analysis yielded some interesting findings.

San Jose Had the Highest Number of Reported Bicycle Collision Intersections

1,103 crashes, 1,109 injuries, 90 severe injuries, and 21 deaths.

San Jose ranked the highest overall in our intersection-level collision analysis. The largest city in Santa Clara County (and 3rd-most populous in California) accounted for 11 of the top 25 highest-ranking bicycle collision intersections in our findings, with several locations appearing throughout major commercial corridors and commuter-heavy roadways. The next closest city, Mountain View, accounted for 4 intersections in the top 25.

Many of San Jose’s highest-ranking intersections were concentrated along major high-speed arterial roads and heavily trafficked commuter routes in East and South San Jose. These include:

• Berryessa Rd & N Capitol Ave ranked 1st in our analysis with 7 reported bicycle collisions from 2019–2023. Surrounded by shopping centers, multilane roads, and consistent commuter traffic, this intersection experiences heavy daily vehicle movement throughout the corridor.
• South King Rd & Story Rd, tied for the next-highest-ranking intersection with 5 reported bicycle collisions. This area sits along one of San Jose’s busiest, most congested commuter routes and experiences constant vehicle and pedestrian activity throughout the day.
• McLaughlin Ave & Tully Rd, also tied near the top of the rankings with 5 reported bicycle collisions. The intersection connects several large arterial roads with significant turning traffic and commuter flow.
• Blossom Hill Rd & Snell Ave, another top-ranking South San Jose intersection with 5 reported bicycle collisions. The surrounding area includes retail traffic, multilane crossings, and large intersections that remain busy throughout the day.

Many of the highest-ranking San Jose intersections shared similar roadway conditions, including wide arterial roads, large intersections, commercial traffic, and consistent commuter activity.

Mountain View Continued to Appear Frequently Throughout the Rankings

186 crashes, 188 injuries, 17 severe injuries, and 1 death.

Home to the “Googleplex,” the headquarters of tech giant Google, Mountain View is widely regarded as a bicycle-friendly and commuter-oriented city, yet it accounted for 4 of the top 25 bicycle collision intersections in our analysis.

These include:

• Mountain Shadows Dr & Shoreline Blvd, tied for 11th with 4 reported bicycle collisions.
• El Camino Real & Grant Rd, tied for 16th with 4 reported bicycle collisions.
• California St & Showers Dr, tied for 21st with 4 reported bicycle collisions.
• California St & San Antonio Rd, tied for 22nd with 4 reported bicycle collisions.

Many of these intersections are located near major commuter routes, retail centers, and office-heavy corridors that experience steady daily traffic from both vehicles and bicycles.

Palo Alto Appeared Multiple Times in the Top 25 Rankings

174 crashes, 175 injuries, 12 severe injuries, and 2 deaths.

As mentioned previously, Palo Alto is widely considered the most bike-friendly city in the county and arguably one of the most in the state, if not the nation. It is certified as a gold-level bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists, and it boasts the first bike boulevard in the United States.

However, despite an improved bicycling culture and the accommodations made throughout the city, it still retains a significant number of bicycle collisions. Palo Alto accounted for 2 intersections in the top 25 highest-ranking bicycle collision intersections in our analysis from 2019–2023.

These include:

• Page Mill Rd & Via Ventura, tied for 10th with 4 reported bicycle collisions.
• Colorado Ave & Middlefield Rd, tied for 19th with 4 reported bicycle collisions.

These intersections sit near larger commuter corridors and mixed residential-commercial areas where cyclists and vehicle traffic frequently interact throughout the day.

Cupertino’s Highest-Ranking Intersections Were Concentrated Around Stevens Creek Blvd

100 crashes, 98 injuries, 16 severe injuries, and 2 deaths.

Despite being a relatively small town in Santa Clara County, Cupertino is best known as the home of Apple.

Cupertino accounted for 2 intersections in the top 25 highest-ranking bicycle collision intersections in our analysis from 2019–2023. Both intersections were located near the Stevens Creek Boulevard corridor, one of the region’s busiest commercial roadways.

These include:

• Phar Lap Dr & Stevens Creek Blvd, tied for 9th with 4 reported bicycle collisions.
• De Anza Blvd & Stevens Creek Blvd, tied for 18th with 4 reported bicycle collisions.

The surrounding corridor includes major retail centers, office traffic, multilane intersections, and steady commuter activity throughout the day. Stevens Creek Boulevard also connects several neighboring Silicon Valley cities, contributing to consistent vehicle volume and turning traffic across the area.

Milpitas Appeared Twice in the Top 25 Rankings

78 crashes, 79 injuries, 5 severe injuries, and 1 death.

Milpitas accounted for 2 intersections in the top 25 highest-ranking bicycle collision intersections in our analysis from 2019–2023.

These include:

• Dixon Landing Rd & Milmont Dr, tied for 17th with 4 reported bicycle collisions.
• Calaveras Rd & Downing Rd, tied for 23rd with 4 reported bicycle collisions.

Both intersections are located near major commuter corridors and industrial traffic routes with frequent vehicle movement throughout the day.

Los Gatos Had One High-Ranking Bicycle Collision Intersection

77 crashes, 80 injuries, 9 severe injuries, and 0 deaths.

Los Gatos accounted for 1 intersection in our analysis of the top 25 rankings from 2019–2023.

• Blossom Hill Rd & Los Gatos Blvd, tied for 25th with 4 reported bicycle collisions.

The surrounding area includes retail traffic, commuter activity, and multilane roadway infrastructure, which may increase interaction between cyclists and vehicles.

Major Arterial Roads and Commercial Corridors Appeared Frequently Throughout the Analysis

Upon further review, many of the highest-ranking intersections in our analysis shared a common characteristic. A large portion were located on or near major arterial roads and heavily trafficked commuter corridors. In fact, several roads appeared multiple times throughout the top 25 rankings.

These included:

• Stevens Creek Blvd
• Story Rd
• Tully Rd
• Blossom Hill Rd
• El Camino Real

Many of these roads were designed to move large volumes of vehicle traffic through commercial and residential areas efficiently. Wide intersections, multilane crossings, frequent turning movements, and steady commuter traffic may increase interaction between cyclists and vehicles at these locations.

Several of the intersections identified in our analysis were also positioned near shopping centers, office corridors, transit connections, and other high-traffic commercial areas where vehicle and bicycle activity regularly overlap throughout the day.

Closing Thoughts

Santa Clara County continues to invest in bicycle infrastructure and traffic safety improvements throughout many of its cities. However, despite growing bicycle adoption and expanded cycling infrastructure in parts of the county, reported bicycle collisions remain a significant issue across several major commuter and vehicle-heavy retail zones. If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash along these high-traffic corridors, contact our San Francisco bicycle accident lawyers to learn about your legal rights.

Many of the intersections identified in our analysis were concentrated in areas with high traffic volume, dense commercial activity, and larger roadway infrastructure. While collision frequency alone does not fully explain roadway safety conditions, recurring collision activity at the same intersections may help highlight areas where cyclists encounter more complicated traffic patterns and heavier vehicle flow.

The findings suggest that even in one of California’s most bike-conscious regions, cyclists remain especially vulnerable where high-speed vehicle infrastructure intersects with dense commercial activity. As Santa Clara County continues to invest in safer streets, these recurring collision hotspots may offer an important roadmap for where improvements are most needed.