- Modoc County is the deadliest county for motorcyclists in California during holiday periods, with 69 average motorcyclist fatalities per million residents.
- Trinity and Plumas counties rank second and third, with 53 and 52 fatalities per million residents, respectively.
- Conversely, Humboldt and Nevada counties recorded some of the lowest holiday-period crash rates in the state.
A new study revealed that between 2019 and 2023, motorcyclists in Modoc County, California faced the highest risk of fatal crashes during holiday periods.
The research conducted by Kuzyk Law analyzed holiday-period crash data from the Federal Crash Data Query Tool (CDAN) across all California counties from 2019 to 2023. The study measured Average Holiday Period Motorcyclist Fatalities per Million Residents, with higher numbers indicating a greater risk of fatal holiday crashes.
Modoc County ranks first with 69 average holiday-period motorcyclist fatalities per million residents, a staggering 527% higher than the California statewide average of 11 fatalities per million residents. Among its population of 8,670, Modoc recorded an annual average of 0.6 holiday-period crashes between 2019 and 2023. The highest number of crashes occurred in 2019, with two incidents, while the lowest occurred in 2021, 2022, and 2023, with zero incidents each year.
Trinity County ranks second with 53 fatalities per million residents, 382% higher than the California statewide average of 11 fatalities per million residents. Among its population of 15,189, the county recorded an annual average of 0.8 holiday-period crashes between 2019 and 2023. The highest number of crashes occurred in 2021 with two incidents, while the lowest occurred in 2019 and 2023 with zero crashes.
Plumas County ranks third with 52 fatalities per million residents, 373% higher than the California statewide average of 11 fatalities per million residents. Among its population of 19,417, the county recorded an annual average of one holiday-period crash between 2019 and 2023. The highest number of crashes occurred in 2019 with two incidents, while the lowest occurred in 2023 with zero incidents.
Looking at the study, a spokesperson from Kuzyk Law commented:
“Holiday weekends often bring increased travel and celebration, but they also carry heightened crash risks, especially for motorcyclists. These findings highlight how smaller, rural counties like Modoc and Trinity can experience disproportionately high fatality rates during holiday periods.
“Recognizing these danger zones helps local governments and highway patrol teams focus on preventive measures, from improving road design and visibility to increasing DUI enforcement and rider awareness campaigns.”
Mono County ranks fourth with 30 fatalities per million residents, 173% higher than the California statewide average of 11 fatalities per million residents. Among its population of 13,439, Mono recorded an annual average of 0.4 crashes between 2019 and 2023. The highest number of crashes occurred in 2023 and 2020, with one each, while the lowest occurred in 2019, 2021, and 2022, with zero.
Mendocino County ranks fifth with 25 fatalities per million residents, 127% higher than the California statewide average of 11 fatalities per million residents. Among its population of 89,759, the county recorded an annual average of 2.2 crashes between 2019 and 2023. The highest number occurred in 2019 with four crashes, while the lowest occurred in 2021 and 2022 with one crash each.
Inyo County ranks sixth with 21 fatalities per million residents, followed by Shasta (7th, 19.86), Amador (8th, 19.53), Siskiyou (9th, 18.32), and Tuolumne (10th, 18.31).
Table of Extended Results:
| Top 10 California Counties Where Motorcyclists Are Most Likely to Face Fatal Crashes During Holiday Periods (2019–2023) | ||
| California Counties | Average Holiday Periods Motorcyclists Fatalities per Million residents | Rank |
| Modoc | 69 | 1 |
| Trinity | 53 | 2 |
| Plumas | 52 | 3 |
| Mono | 30 | 4 |
| Mendocino | 25 | 5 |
| Inyo | 21 | 6 |
| Shasta | 19.86 | 7 |
| Amador | 19.53 | 8 |
| Siskiyou | 18.32 | 9 |
| Tuolumne | 18.31 | 10 |
The study was conducted by Kuzyk Law, a law firm specializing in representation for car accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, bike, pedestrian, and catastrophic injury claims. With over four decades of experience and a track record serving 100,000+ clients, they offer free consultations and no upfront fees.
ENDS
P.S. If using this story, please credit and link to https://kuzyklaw.com/fresno/
Methodology
The study analyzed holiday-period crash data across all California counties between 2019 and 2023 from the CDAN Query Tool. It measured Average Holiday Period Motorcyclist Fatalities per Million Residents, highlighting counties where riders faced the greatest risk during holidays. Higher numbers indicate a greater likelihood of fatal crashes on local roads.
Data Source
- Holiday Motorcycle Crash Data: https://cdan.dot.gov/query
- Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sXkGcP6zbpVV2kDOV5KETGQmlUomPoMjmrNj8GG1zv8/edit?gid=2030651672#gid=2030651672
- Study by: https://kuzyklaw.com/fresno/
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