These Are the 15 Deadliest Intersections in the United States

These Are the 15 Deadliest Intersections in the United States

New Jersey is featured four times in the rankings, including the three worst intersections.

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The number of traffic deaths in the United States is at a record high. While a traffic death can happen almost anywhere motor vehicles can travel, nearly a quarter of all the country’s fatal crashes happen at intersections. The Colorado-based Fang Law Firm combed through 20 years of crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to identify the country’s most dangerous intersections and why they are deadly.

The Fang Law Firm mentioned there were two significant factors behind the country’s deadliest intersections. First, most were secondary roads, usually state highways without limited access. These roads tend to have signaled or signed crossings with much slower local streets. It should be noted that the Fang Law Firm excluded crashes on highway interchanges, driveway exits, and pedestrian paths.

The report also noted that rural areas with populations of less than 2,500 people had a disproportionally high amount of fatal crashes. These areas are home to 18 percent of the U.S. population, but 36 percent of the countries’ deadly intersections are located there. The law firm hypothesized that speeds are higher and road designs are older in rural areas compared to urban and suburban areas.

The report states there are 15.8 million intersections in the continental United States. Between 2000 and 2019, there was at least one fatal crash at 147,000 intersections, fewer than one percent. Only 15 intersections had seven or more fatal crashes. Here are those 15 intersections by number of fatal crashes. The ties were broken by the intersection which had the most recent fatal crash.

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15. Deen Still Rd and SR-33 - Polk County, FL

15. Deen Still Rd and SR-33 - Polk County, FL

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Over the past 20 years, there were seven fatal crashes at this intersection about 39 miles southwest of Orlando, Florida. The Florida Department of Transportation replaced the previous four-way intersection with a modern roundabout in 2016, which drastically reduced the number of crashes. The upgrade is an example of how infrastructure improvement can make roads safer.

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14. FM 866 and SH-302 - Ector County, TX

14. FM 866 and SH-302 - Ector County, TX

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This rural intersection about 14 miles west of Odessa, Texas saw seven fatal crashes. While outside of the report’s range, there was another fatal crash at the intersection in June 2022. Both roads have a speed limit of at least 70 mph, and there’s only a set of stop signs for Farm to Market Road 866.

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13. CR-74 and SR-31 - Charlotte County, FL

13. CR-74 and SR-31 - Charlotte County, FL

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There were seven fatal crashes at this intersection 26 miles north of Fort Myers, Florida. The Florida Department of Transportation is planning on installing a roundabout to reduce the number of crashes, like at the Deen Still Rd and SR-33 intersection. The roundabout will cost an estimated $6 million.

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12. Pierce Ferry Rd and US-93 - Mohave County, AZ

12. Pierce Ferry Rd and US-93 - Mohave County, AZ

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There were seven fatal crashes at this Arizona intersection located 77 miles southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2020, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) completed a project to separate the left-turn lanes from highway traffic better. ADOT is considering constructing a half-interchange to allow drivers to turn left from US-93 onto Pierce Ferry Road without crossing the opposite lanes.

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11. Dug Hill Rd and US-72 - Madison County, AL

11. Dug Hill Rd and US-72 - Madison County, AL

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There were seven fatal crashes at this intersection 10 miles east of Huntsville, Alabama. According to WZDX, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) announced plans in 2020 to replace the intersection with a restricted crossing U-turn intersection. An ALDOT spokesperson said:

“What the R-cut intersection does is reduce the number of conflict points as compared to a normal intersection. Motorists at Dug Hill Road will no longer be able to make a left turn onto US 72 or to go straight across through the median and continue North or South on Dug Hill in one movement.”

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10. M-46 and M-83 - Saginaw County, MI

10. M-46 and M-83 - Saginaw County, MI

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There were seven fatal crashes at this intersection 10 miles west of Saginaw, Michigan. In 2020, a suspected drunk driver ran into the back of a stopped school bus during its morning run on M-46 just west of M-83. Thankfully, no one was injured in the collision.

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9. East Grand St and US-1/9 - Elizabeth, NJ

9. East Grand St and US-1/9 - Elizabeth, NJ

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There were seven fatal crashes at this urban intersection two miles from Newark Liberty International Airport. Elizabeth is only a stone’s throw from the New York City borough of Staten Island. This won’t be the list’s only entry from New Jersey or this stretch of US-1/9.

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8. PA-132 and Knights Rd - Bucks County, PA

8. PA-132 and Knights Rd - Bucks County, PA

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There were seven fatal crashes at this intersection in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 18 miles northeast of Philadelphia. The intersection is located just outside of a shopping center.

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7. Grand Blvd and Montgomery St - St. Louis, MO

7. Grand Blvd and Montgomery St - St. Louis, MO

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There were seven fatal crashes at this intersection in St. Louis, Missouri. Unlike the list’s other entries, this intersection is a four-lane city street and a small side street. It just happens to be in the middle of a long stretch of Grand Boulevard between two traffic lights.

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6. SH-360 and US-287 - Ellis County, TX

6. SH-360 and US-287 - Ellis County, TX

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There were seven fatal crashes at this intersection just south of the Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex. The strange intersection includes an overpass for US-287, but drivers have to navigate through traffic signals to get on and off the U.S. highway.

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5. SR-19 and SR-40 - Marion County, FL

5. SR-19 and SR-40 - Marion County, FL

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There were seven fatal crashes at this rural intersection 65 miles north of Orlando. Two state routes meet at the intersection at the edge of the wildlife management area in Central Florida.

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4. SR-70 and US-41 - Bradenton, FL

4. SR-70 and US-41 - Bradenton, FL

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There have been seven fatal crashes at this massive intersection 28 miles south of St. Petersburg. There are 22 lanes of traffic going into the intersection.

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3. Massachusetts Ave and Route 70 - Ocean County, NJ

3. Massachusetts Ave and Route 70 - Ocean County, NJ

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There were eight fatal crashes at an intersection 54 miles east of Philadelphia. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) made several changes to make navigating the intersection easier. An NJDOT spokesperson told Jersey Shore Online, “Having a dedicated left turn phase eliminated the need for motorists trying to make a left turn on a green light to yield to oncoming traffic. Drivers now must wait for the left turn green arrow.”

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2. East Jersey Street and US-1/9 - Elizabeth, NJ

2. East Jersey Street and US-1/9 - Elizabeth, NJ

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There were nine fatal crashes at this intersection in Elizabeth, New Jersey. This intersection is only 1,165 feet away from the intersection with East Grant St. mentioned earlier on the list.

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1. Lalor Street and Route 129 - Trenton, NJ

1. Lalor Street and Route 129 - Trenton, NJ

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With nine fatal crashes between 2000 and 2019, this intersection in New Jersey’s capital is the deadliest in the United States. It is also the fourth in the Garden State to be mentioned on this list. Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora told WPVI in March 2022:

“It doesn’t make good for when we have a senior center just across the street and a shopping center on this side. We’ve met with the state DOT. They have pledged to do traffic calming devices, but as you can see, they’re coming off a state highway at a high speed and then come to a residential intersection.”

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