The Most Dangerous Intersections in Texas

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Many car accidents in Texas occur at dangerous intersections. Whether it’s due to drivers speeding through intersections in Houston, a distracted driver in Dallas or someone else running a red light in San Antonio, all it takes is one reckless driver to cause a collision at a busy intersection.

But which intersections are the most dangerous in the Lone Star State? What are the most dangerous intersections in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio? And why do so many car accidents happen at intersections? Below, you can learn more about the most dangerous intersections in Texas and these three cities, courtesy of experienced Texas car accident lawyers who regularly represent injured motorists throughout the state.

What are the most dangerous intersections in Texas?

More than 50 percent of car accidents nationwide occur at intersections, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. The problem is just as bad in Texas. Each year, an average of 777 people are killed in motor vehicle accidents that occur at intersections in Texas, according to crash statistics compiled by the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT).

TXDOT also compiles information about the locations of many bad car accidents throughout the state. In one study based on TXDOT data, the following crossings were identified as the 10 most dangerous intersections in Texas. Starting with the most dangerous, they are:

Sam Houston Parkway & Bissonnet Street (Houston, TX)
Sam Houston Parkway & Hardy Road (Houston, TX)
Sam Houston Parkway & Westheimer Road (Houston, TX)
I-10 & Loop 1604 (San Antonio, TX)
Braun Road & Loop 1604 (San Antonio, TX)
South Loop & Main Street (Houston, TX)
I-45 & Greens Road (Houston, TX)
Main Street & Sam Houston Parkway (Houston, TX)
Sam Houston Parkway & Beechnut Street (Houston, TX)
Bandera Road & Loop 1604 (San Antonio, TX)

What are the most dangerous intersections in Houston?

Houston has approximately 69,000 motor vehicle accidents each year, resulting in an estimated 32,000 injuries and 250 fatalities, according to crash data from the TXDOT. Not surprisingly, many of these collisions occur at intersections in Houston.

Many other studies have been conducted to identify the most dangerous intersections in Texas as well as specific cities like Houston. LINK Houston recently conducted such a study and identified the 10 most dangerous intersections in the city, particularly when it comes to bicycle and pedestrian accidents.

According to LINK Houston, the 10 most dangerous intersections in the city are:

Fannin & Pierce Streets
Ranchester Drive & Bellaire Boulevard
Westheimer Road & South Dairy Ashford Road
Long Point Road & Gessner Road
West Park Drive & US 59 South
Old Spanish Trail & Route 288 South
Fondren Road & West Bellfort Avenue
Bissonnet Street & Wilcrest Drive
West Road & Airline Drive
Bellaire Boulevard & South Gessner Road

What are the most dangerous intersections in Dallas?

Dallas has an estimated 37,000 motor vehicle accidents each year, resulting in an estimated 18,500 injuries and 180 fatalities, according to the TXDOT.

The most dangerous intersections in Dallas based on accident data compiled by state and local officials include:

Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway (I-635) & Skillman Street
Commerce South & South Lamar Street
Elm Street & South Griffin Street
North Central Expressway & Lemmon Avenue
North Stemmons Freeway & Market Center Boulevard
West Jefferson Boulevard & North Hampton Road
South Hampton Road & West Illinois Avenue
West Northwest Highway & Loop 12 TEXpress
West Northwest Highway & Stemmons Trail
John West Road & North Buckner Boulevard
Military Parkway & South Buckner Boulevard

What are the most dangerous intersections in San Antonio?

San Antonio has more than 42,000 car accidents on average each year, resulting in approximately 20,000 injuries and 145 fatalities, according to annual accident data compiled by the TXDOT.

The most dangerous intersections in San Antonio based on crash data compiled by the TXDOT are:

I-10 & North Loop 1604
Loop 1604 & Braun Road
West Loop 1604 & Bandera Road
Northwest Loop 410 & Ingram Road
Northwest Loop 410 & San Pedro Avenue
Southeast Loop 410 & Rigsby Avenue
Southwest Loop 410 & Marbach Road
Northwest Loop 410 & Culebra Road
Northwest Loop 410 & West Avenue
Culebra Road & Potranco Road

It’s not necessarily the layout of those particular intersections that make them dangerous; it’s the volume of traffic. There are more drivers using Loop 410 and Loop 1604 because of the way the city is laid out, and when you combine that volume of drivers with the inherent dangers of intersections, it’s a deadly mix.

Why do intersection accidents happen?

Intersection accidents involving two or more vehicles often occur because one of the drivers was behaving in a reckless or negligent manner. An in-depth study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 96 percent of intersection collisions occurred due to mistakes made by one of the drivers. Based on the study of 2.1 million accidents, the most common causes of intersection collisions were:

Inadequate surveillance (44.1 percent of intersections accidents) – Inadequate surveillance means the driver who caused the accident did not carefully look before turning or making another traffic maneuver at the intersection.
False assumption of other’s action (8.4 percent) – The at-fault driver assumed the other driver would do something (turn, go straight, yield, etc.) and made a mistake, resulting in a collision.
Turned with an obstructed view (7.8 percent) – Instead of waiting to see if the intersection is clear before making a right or left turn, the at-fault driver proceeded before it was safe and caused a crash.
Illegal maneuver (6.8 percent) – Illegal maneuvers at an intersection can include running a red light, making an illegal turn or other traffic violations.
Internal distraction (5.7 percent) – Distracted driving often results in serious accidents. Driving distraction includes texting while driving, talking on a cellphone while driving, looking up directions on a GPS, taking your eyes off the road to talk to a passenger, or adjusting the radio.
Misjudgment of gap or other’s speed (5.5 percent) – Many drivers, especially inexperienced drivers, misjudge how fast or slow another vehicle is going. As a result, they might cause a rear-end accident, head-on collision, or another type of car crash.

Other findings from the same NHTSA intersection accident study include:

22 percent of intersection accidents involve a driver making a left-hand turn.
6 percent of intersection collisions involve a vehicle crossing the intersection.
2 percent of accidents involve a driver making a right-hand turn.
Weather contributes to some, but 78.6 percent of intersection accidents occurred on clear days.

In addition, drivers who run red lights frequently cause intersection accidents. Each year, red-light-running drivers cause accidents that result in an estimated 143,000 injuries and roughly 850 fatalities, according to annual accident statistics compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

These are just some of the reasons why intersection accidents happen. Each crash requires its own independent investigation. That’s why it’s critical that injury victims call the police right away, then talk to an attorney as soon as possible.

Why should I hire a lawyer?

You might think you don’t need an attorney if another driver clearly caused your intersection accident. All you have to do is call the police department in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, or wherever your crash occurred. But the reality is many car crashes at intersections end up being complicated legal cases.

Sometimes, it’s because the at-fault driver denies causing your crash. They might even claim you somehow caused the collision. Worst of all, the other driver’s insurance company will often take their policyholder’s side. Why? Because there’s often a lot of money at stake if they have to pay for your accident-related expenses.

Texas is an at-fault insurance state. That means the at-fault party is responsible for paying for all of the injury victim’s accident-related expenses. But in order to get that money from the other driver’s insurance company, you need to prove that the other driver caused your crash. That’s one of the reasons why you should hire a lawyer to investigate your accident.

We can help you every step of the way at Tracey Fox & Walters. Our Texas car accident lawyers have years of experience fighting for the rights of people injured in intersection accidents caused by other drivers. As a result, we know what evidence to look for after a crash. We know to obtain and analyze official accident reports and search for other important information about your crash.

Many insurance companies agree to cooperate with us and negotiate a fair settlement offer in good faith once they see we’re serious about your accident. If not, we will not hesitate to file a lawsuit or take other legal action on your behalf.

We’re serious about winning your case. Our case results speak for themselves. We have obtained many multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts for injury victims and their families. Discover what we can do for you. Contact us and schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced Texas car accident attorney today. We have offices conveniently located in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.