The Deadliest Intersections in the Western United States

(stacker) –Intersections have long been dangerous places for drivers, and this trend is especially pronounced in the western United States. From 2004 through 2022, more than 35,000 people lost their lives in intersection crashes in the western states – an average of nearly 2,000 fatalities per year.

But which intersections are the deadliest? Where are motorists most at risk?

Sam Aguiar Personal Injury Lawyers analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to find those answers. We examined every fatal crash from 2004 to 2022 to identify the intersections where the most fatal crashes occurred and to uncover patterns among them.

Key findings:

Nine of the ten deadliest intersections in the western US are in Arizona (5) or California (4). The other is in Idaho.
All five of Arizona’s deadliest intersections are 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.
Nearly half of all fatal crashes occur at intersections with stop signs, while only 6% occur at intersections without control signals or signs.
Intersection fatalities increased by nearly 50% in the western US between 2004 and 2022.

An increase in the number of fatal accidents in the western United States

During the observation period, fatal crashes increased at intersections in three of the four major U.S. regions. However, no region experienced a greater 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% over the same period.

Below are the intersections where the most fatal accidents occurred 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 crashes: six
Fatalities: seven

59TH AVE and INDIAN SCHOOL RD

Maricopa County, Arizona

Traffic control device: traffic light
Intersection type: Four-way intersection
Fatal crashes: five
Fatalities: seven

HAZEN RD and SR-85 (OGLESBY RD)

Maricopa County, Arizona

Traffic control device: stop sign
Intersection type: Four-way intersection
Fatal crashes: five
Fatalities: seven

SR-152 and VOLTA RD

Merced County, California

Traffic control device: stop sign
Intersection type: Four-way intersection
Fatal crashes: five
Fatalities: six

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

Maricopa County, Arizona

Traffic control device: None
Intersection type: T-intersection
Fatal crashes: five
Fatalities: six

US-95 and NEZ PERCE RD

Nez Perce County, Idaho

Traffic control device: stop sign
Intersection type: T-intersection
Fatal crashes: five
Fatalities: five

IMPERIAL HWY and DOWNEY AVE

Los Angeles County, California

Traffic control device: traffic light
Intersection type: Four-way intersection
Fatal crashes: five
Fatalities: five

CENTRAL AVE and 120TH ST

Los Angeles County, California

Traffic control device: traffic light
Intersection type: Four-way intersection
Fatal crashes: five
Fatalities: five

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

Maricopa County, Arizona

Traffic control device: traffic light
Intersection type: Four-way intersection
Fatal crashes: five
Fatalities: five

US-395 and GILL STATION COSO RD

Inyo County, California

Traffic control device: stop sign
Intersection type: Four-way intersection
Fatal crashes: four
Fatalities: 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 flagged as “intersection-related” by the NHTSA were considered. The Western U.S. 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 distributed by Stacker.