According to data from the Texas Department of Transportation, there were over 36,000 car crashes in Dallas during 2019. 185 lives were lost in those crashes. 1,128 serious injuries were accounted for. Dallas sees some of the highest numbers for car accidents in all of Texas, and to most residents of the area, this fact comes as no surprise given the amount of traffic Dallas gets.
The entire Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, often abbreviated to DFW, covers a large geographic area containing numerous cities and interconnecting highways. Interconnecting highways and surface streets are often the most common locations for car accidents due to the multiple connections and directions drivers must take. Essentially, the greater number of options a driver has at any point, the more chances for an accident there are.
At an intersection, multiple drivers have multiple options they may take. This ups the chances of a mistake occurring. Since multiple drivers have decisions to make at an intersection, collisions between two or more vehicles are also common. When a driver makes a mistake at an intersection like failing to wait their turn at a stop sign, running a red light, or failing to look across the crosswalk for a pedestrian, an accident between multiple cars and/or pedestrians may result.
What Makes One Intersection More Dangerous Than Others?
In Dallas, some intersections are inherently more dangerous than others. When we say that they are “dangerous,” we mean that statistically, more accidents occur at these intersections than at other nearby intersections. In most cases, a more dangerous intersection is one where one or more of the following factors are true:
- It sees heavier amounts of traffic more frequently than other nearby intersections
- It’s a more complex intersection (either by an increase in the number of intersecting streets or the level of decision-making drivers must make (turn lights vs. yielding, etc.)
- The average level of visibility of the intersection
- The average speeds drivers are traveling at when crossing the intersection
- How frequently pedestrians and bikers use the intersection and how visible they are when they cross
All these factors can have a massive impact on the number of accidents which can occur at an intersection. When an intersection sees an abnormally large number of accidents, city planners must take these factors into consideration along with crash data and determine how the intersection can be improved and made safer.
Most Dangerous Intersections in Dallas
Now, let’s look at some of the most dangerous intersections in Dallas and in the general Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Below, listed in no particular order, are some intersections where crash data has found to be particularly high. You will notice that some listings have additional intersections listed as well, in instances where multiple intersections along the same street had data:
- Belt Line Road and Preston Road / Dallas Pkwy
- Coit Road and I-635
- Northwest Highway and Walton Walker Blvd / Stemmons Fairway
- Buckner Blvd and Military Pkwy / John West Road
- Abrams Road and Flickering Shadow Drive
- Colorado Blvd and N. Hampton Road
- Commerce Street and Lamar Street
- Canton Street and S. Good Latimer Expy
- Cherry Valley Blvd and S. Lancaster Road
- Ledbetter Drive and S. Westmoreland Road
- Hillburn Drive and Lake June Road
- Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway and Skillman Street / Central Texas Expy
- Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway and Webb Chapel Road / Marsh Lane
- Central Texas Expy and East Lovers Lane
- Greenville Ave and Pineland Drive / Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway
- Sam Houston Road and Scyene Road
- Kiest Blvd and S. Polk Street
- Campbell Road and Hillcrest Road
- Bickers Street and N. Hampton Road
- Ferguson Road and Millmar Drive
- Arapaho Road and Dallas Pkwy (Dallas North Tollway)
- Maple Ave and Wolf Street
- Elm Street and Griffin Street
What Can Be Done to Prevent Accidents in Intersections?
It’s a known fact that most car accidents are caused when someone makes a mistake—whether it be a driver who misjudges the distance they can follow another vehicle at, a driver who is distracted, or a pedestrian that decides to cross the street where there isn’t a crosswalk. Accidents that happen in intersections are no different. All drivers and pedestrians should be extra cautious at intersections since multiple things are often occurring at the same time. Looking away from the road for even a second can cause a crash.
It’s even more crucial for drivers to be extra cautious at the intersections in Dallas, like those listed above, where accidents are proven to occur more likely. Pay careful attention to look both ways before making a move in these intersections, and watch signals, lights, and other vehicles closely. It may even be a good idea to try and find alternative routes in Dallas when traffic is especially high, like during rush hour, to avoid intersections that are especially busy.
As mentioned above, it’s also important for the city to continually make improvements to street and highway intersections to ensure they are made safer. In recent years, the city has made numerous improvements to intersections around Dallas. The state has also installed traffic cameras at many intersections which are used to determine the causes for accidents when they occur and what changes may need to be made to the intersection in the future to improve safety.
If you or someone you love was seriously injured in an accident in Dallas or elsewhere in Texas and believe that the crash could have been prevented, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Buckingham & Vega Law Firm today. We are happy to give you a case evaluation at no cost to you and help you find out if filing a legal claim may be in your best interests. With our help, recovery may be possible.