The Deadliest Intersections in the Western United States

(Forklift) –Intersections have long been dangerous places for drivers, and this trend is particularly pronounced in the western United States. From 2004 to 2022, more than 35,000 people lost their lives in intersection-related crashes in Western states — an average of nearly 2,000 deaths each year.

But which intersections are the deadliest? Where are drivers most exposed?

Sam Aguiar Personal Injury Attorneys analyzed data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to find those answers. We examined every fatal crash from 2004 to 2022 to identify the intersections where the deadliest traffic collisions occurred and uncover patterns between them.

Key Findings:

Nine of the ten deadliest intersections in the western US are located in either Arizona (5) or California (4). The other is in Idaho.
All five of Arizona’s deadliest intersections are found in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and surrounding areas.
50% of fatal crashes occur at intersections controlled by stop signs, while only 6% occur at intersections without traffic control devices.
Almost half of all fatal crashes occur at intersections with stop signs, while only 6% occur at intersections without signals or control signs.
Fatal intersection-related crashes increased nearly 50 percent in the western US from 2004 to 2022.

An increase in fatal crashes in the western United States

During the observation period, fatal intersection crashes increased in three out of four major U.S. regions. However, no region saw a sharper increase than the West. From 2004 to 2022, the total number of intersection-related crashes in the western US increased by 48%, with fatalities increasing by 47% during the same period.

Below are the intersections where fatal crashes were most common during the observation period:

BROADWAY ROAD and SR 85 (OGLESBY RD)

Maricopa County, Arizona

Traffic control device: Stop sign
Intersection type: four-way intersection
Fatal accident: six
Deaths: seven

59TH AVE and INDIAN SCHOOL RD

Maricopa County, Arizona

Traffic control device: Traffic light
Intersection type: four-way intersection
Fatal accident: five
Deaths: seven

HAZEN RD and SR-85 (OGLESBY RD)

Maricopa County, Arizona

Traffic control device: Stop sign
Intersection type: four-way intersection
Fatal accident: five
Deaths: seven

SR-152 and VOLTA RD

Merced County, California

Traffic control device: Stop sign
Intersection type: four-way intersection
Fatal accident: five
Deaths: six

MARICOPA RD & SR-347 (N JOHN WAYNE PKWY)

Maricopa County, Arizona

Traffic Control Device: None
Intersection type: T-intersection
Fatal accident: five
Deaths: six

US-95 and NEZ PERCE RD

Nez Perce County, Idaho

Traffic control device: Stop sign
Intersection type: T-intersection
Fatal accident: five
Deaths: five

IMPERIAL HWY and DOWNEY AVE

Los Angeles County, California

Traffic control device: Traffic light
Intersection type: four-way intersection
Fatal accident: five
Deaths: five

CENTRAL AVE and 120TH ST

Los Angeles County, California

Traffic control device: Traffic light
Intersection type: four-way intersection
Fatal accident: five
Deaths: five

RIGGS RD & SR-347 (N JOHN WAYNE PKWY)

Maricopa County, Arizona

Traffic control device: Traffic light
Intersection type: four-way intersection
Fatal accident: five
Deaths: five

US-395 and GILL STATION COSO RD

Inyo County, California

Traffic control device: Stop sign
Intersection type: four-way intersection
Fatal accident: four
Deaths: seven

Data and Methodology

This analysis was based on fatal crash data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, for the years 2004 through 2022. Only crashes labeled as “intersection-related” by NHTSA were considered. The Western US region, as defined by the Census Bureau, includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

This story was produced by Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers and reviewed and shared by Stacker.