If you are deciding how to get around Barcelona, the number that matters is not how many collisions a street has but what happens to you inside each vehicle. Of the 4,886 people involved on a motorcycle over twelve months, 4,112 were injured. Of the 6,056 inside a car, 1,603 were. Motorcycles account for 140 of the 247 serious injuries and 6 of the 13 deaths. The Guàrdia Urbana attended 7,741 collisions involving 17,200 people, and the peak hour was 14.00, with 1,244, against 103 at 3.00.
Which vehicle carries the most risk in Barcelona? The motorcycle: 4,112 injured out of 4,886 involved, 140 of the 247 serious injuries and 6 of the 13 deaths in twelve months. Mopeds follow with 345 injured, e-scooters with 515 and bicycles with 745. Inside a car, 1,603 of 6,056.
When to be careful
The peak is lunch and the trip home: 14.00 with 1,244 people involved, 13.00 with 1,206 and 17.00 with 1,200. Afternoons add up to 8,418 people, mornings to 6,949 and nights to only 1,833.
The curve climbs with the city — 131 at 2.00, 155 at 4.00, 312 at 6.00 and 938 at 8.00 — and falls just as fast, from 1,163 at 18.00 to 868 at 20.00 and 420 at 22.00, with 264 at midnight. Mid-morning sits at 868 at 10.00, noon at 973 at 12.00, and mid-afternoon still carries 1,111 at 16.00.
Each vehicle peaks at a different time. Motorcycles do it twice, 362 at 8.00 and 375 at 14.00, which is commuting. Bicycles peak later, 99 at 19.00 and 98 at 17.00. E-scooters reach 60 at 17.00. Avoiding those windows on public transport costs 2.90 euros for a single zone 1 ride or 13.00 euros for the ten-trip T-casual, which works out at 1.30 euros a ride: the full comparison is in which metro ticket to buy and the network itself in the public transport guide.
Which streets have the most accidents
| Street | Collisions | Main district |
|---|---|---|
| Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes | 401 collisions | l’Eixample |
| Avinguda Diagonal | 384 collisions | l’Eixample and les Corts |
| Carrer d’Aragó | 243 collisions | l’Eixample |
| Avinguda Meridiana | 167 collisions | Sant Andreu |
| Carrer de València | 164 collisions | l’Eixample |
| Ronda del General Mitre | 99 collisions | Sarrià-Sant Gervasi |
| Carrer Gran de Gràcia | 84 collisions | Gràcia |
| Avinguda del Paral·lel | 83 collisions | Sants-Montjuïc |
The first four are the same kind of road: long axis, several lanes, coordinated lights. By neighbourhood, la Dreta de l’Eixample adds up to 672, l’Antiga Esquerra de l’Eixample to 346, the Nova Esquerra to 275 and Sant Gervasi - Galvany to 261.
That does not make l’Eixample a bad place to stay: Gran Via, Diagonal and Aragó all cross it, and the traffic is passing through. Which district holds which axis is in the districts guide and where to stay is in the best neighborhoods.
Which vehicle leaves you worst off
| Vehicle | People involved | Injured | Serious | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle | 4,886 people | 4,112 people | 140 serious | 6 deaths |
| Moped | 427 people | 345 people | 8 serious | none |
| Personal mobility vehicle | 675 people | 515 people | 13 serious | none |
| Bicycle | 1,059 people | 745 people | 18 serious | 1 death |
| Bus | 1,449 people | 731 people | 25 serious | 2 deaths |
| Car | 6,056 people | 1,603 people | 24 serious | 2 deaths |
| Taxi | 628 people | 160 people | 6 serious | none |
Motorcycles are not the vehicle with the most collisions — cars have more, 6,056 people involved against 4,886 — but they turn almost every one of theirs into an injury, and take 140 of the city’s serious injuries. Mopeds repeat the pattern on a smaller scale, with 345 injured out of 427.
How old are the riders involved
The three two-wheelers stop looking alike as soon as age enters, and that changes who the rest of this page is for.
| Vehicle | Median age | Quarter below | Under 25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle | 39 years | 29 years | 12 in every 100 |
| Bicycle | 33 years | 25 years | 24 in every 100 |
| Personal mobility vehicle | 30 years | 22 years | 35 in every 100 |
A motorcyclist involved in a collision here is typically 39, with a quarter of them below 29 and only 12 in every 100 under 25. An e-scooter rider is typically 30, with a quarter below 22 and 35 in every 100 under 25: almost three times the motorbike share.
That matters for a family decision rather than a traffic one. The e-scooter is the vehicle teenagers actually use, and while it produced 13 of the 247 serious injuries and no deaths, its riders are the youngest group on the street. What the rules allow and where riding is banned is in the e-scooter guide.
Where pedestrians are hit
Of the 1,065 pedestrians hit, 431 were on a crossing controlled by traffic lights and 100 on the pavement or platform. Away from a crossing there were 186, and 95 on an uncontrolled crossing.
| Where the pedestrian was hit | People |
|---|---|
| On a crossing with traffic lights | 431 people |
| Away from the crossing | 186 people |
| On the pavement or platform | 100 people |
| On an uncontrolled crossing | 95 people |
| In a pedestrian zone | 69 people |
Jaywalking explains less than a fifth. Where a cause was recorded, 194 were for ignoring the light, 141 for crossing away from the marked area and 53 for walking along the carriageway, while 581 record no cause attributable to the pedestrian. Street risk beyond traffic is in the safety guide, what the fines cost is in traffic fines and towing and where you can leave a bike is in bike parking.
Which day has the most collisions
Of 7,741 collisions, 6,232 happened Monday to Friday and 1,509 at the weekend. Wednesday is the worst day at 1,319 and Sunday the best at 655, exactly half, with Saturday in between at 854. This is work traffic, so the risky window for anyone living here is the daily commute rather than a Saturday night.
Frequently asked questions about traffic accidents in Barcelona
Should I rent a motorbike in Barcelona?
It is the vehicle with the worst outcome in the city by a wide margin. Of 4,886 people involved on a motorcycle in twelve months, 4,112 were injured, and motorcycles account for 140 of the 247 serious injuries and 6 of the 13 deaths. A car leaves 1,603 injured out of 6,056.
What time of day has the most accidents in Barcelona?
14.00, with 1,244 people involved, ahead of 13.00 with 1,206 and 17.00 with 1,200. The quietest hour is 3.00, with 103. Afternoons account for 8,418 people involved, mornings for 6,949 and night-time for only 1,833.
How old are the e-scooter riders involved in accidents?
The median is 30 years, with a quarter of them below 22 and 35 in every 100 under 25. On a motorcycle the median rises to 39 and only 12 in every 100 are under 25, so the e-scooter is the youngest vehicle on the street by some distance.
Which street in Barcelona has the most accidents?
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, with 401 collisions in twelve months, then Diagonal with 384, Aragó with 243, Meridiana with 167 and València with 164. By neighbourhood the leader is la Dreta de l’Eixample, with 672.
Where are pedestrians hit in Barcelona?
Of 1,065 pedestrians hit, 431 were on a crossing controlled by traffic lights and 100 were on the pavement itself. Only 186 were away from a crossing, so jaywalking explains less than a fifth of the total.