Available 
Palo Alto, CA (August 21, 2026) — A motorcyclist died on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, after a wreck near the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, according to police. Officers were called to the 100 block of El Camino Real around 4:29 p.m.
Detectives said the motorcyclist, a man in his 20s, was headed south on El Camino Real when a sedan traveling north turned left toward a business. The motorcycle collided with the car during the turn, and the rider was ejected.
The man was taken to a hospital, where he did not survive. The sedan’s driver, a woman in her 20s, stayed at the scene. The police closed El Camino Real between Sand Hill and Quarry roads for about three hours to investigate.
We would like to extend our condolences to the family and friends of the deceased victim.
Why Turning Into a Driveway Poses Unique Risks for Motorcyclists
Turning left into a business or driveway is different from turning at a signaled intersection, since no traffic light or dedicated turn lane is governing when it’s safe to go. The driver making the turn has to judge the gap in oncoming traffic entirely on their own, at a spot along the road that isn’t marked or anticipated the way a real intersection would be.
This lack of predictability cuts both ways. Oncoming traffic, including motorcyclists, may not be watching closely for a left-turning vehicle at a random driveway the way they would when approaching a marked intersection with a turn signal or arrow. That mismatch in expectations can leave very little time to react if a vehicle suddenly cuts across the lane to reach a business entrance.
Drivers are generally encouraged to signal well before a turn like this and to confirm a fully clear gap rather than a merely adequate one. Motorcyclists, in turn, can benefit from watching for brake lights or slowing traffic ahead, since that’s the earliest sign that a driver may be preparing to turn across their path.
