Imagine a crossroads where every year nearly one in four fatal car crashes in America unfolds, claiming over 7,500 lives in 2022 alone—these startling statistics reveal the deadly reality of our everyday intersections.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, intersections were the site of 22.6% of all fatal crashes in the United States, totaling 6,589 fatalities.
- Angle crashes at intersections accounted for 48.3% of all intersection-related fatalities in 2020.
- From 2017-2021, 40% of pedestrian fatalities occurred at intersections, with 1,232 deaths in 2021 alone.
- Intersections accounted for 26% of all crashes in the US in 2022, totaling over 1.1 million incidents.
- Urban intersections experienced 1.2 crashes per million entering vehicles in 2021.
- Signalized intersections had a crash rate of 1.65 per million vehicles in 2020.
- In 2021, intersections saw 452,000 injury crashes, representing 28% of total injury crashes.
- Serious injuries at intersections totaled 156,000 in 2022.
- Pedestrian injuries at intersections: 78,000 in 2021.
- Failure to yield was the primary cause in 36% of intersection crashes in 2021.
- Red-light violations contributed to 22% of urban intersection crashes in 2022.
- Distracted driving factored in 16% of all intersection crashes.
- Passenger cars in 78% of intersection crashes as striking vehicle.
- SUVs and pickups involved in 42% of fatal intersection crashes.
- Motorcycles in 5% of intersection crashes but 14% of fatalities.
Intersections are alarmingly dangerous and deadly spots on America's roads.
Causes and Factors
- Failure to yield was the primary cause in 36% of intersection crashes in 2021.
- Red-light violations contributed to 22% of urban intersection crashes in 2022.
- Distracted driving factored in 16% of all intersection crashes.
- Speeding was involved in 24% of intersection crashes in 2021.
- Alcohol impairment present in 12% of intersection crashes 2022.
- Poor visibility due to weather caused 11% of intersection crashes.
- Driver inattention: 28% of rear-end crashes at intersections.
- Illegal left turns: 19% of angle crashes at signalized intersections.
- Pedestrian errors in 14% of pedestrian-intersection crashes.
- Cyclist failure to yield: 23% of bike-motorist intersection crashes.
- Nighttime conditions factor in 38% of intersection crashes.
- Vehicle maneuver errors: 45% of unsignalized intersection crashes.
- Signage/roadway design issues: 9% of intersection crashes.
- Fatigue in 7% of intersection crashes, higher in rural areas.
- Aggressive driving: 18% of intersection angle crashes.
- Obstructed views from vegetation/parked cars: 12% factor.
- Elderly driver errors: 21% higher rate at intersections.
- Teen speeding at intersections: 31% of teen crashes.
- Commercial truck blind spots: 15% of truck-ped crashes.
- Motorcycle lane splitting issues: 17% of moto-intersection crashes.
- Wet roads increase intersection crash risk by 70%.
- Signal timing malfunctions: 4% of signalized crashes.
- Right-of-way confusion: 29% at 4-way stops.
- Phone use distraction: 8.9% of all crashes, higher at intersections.
Causes and Factors Interpretation
The collective lesson from these grim statistics is that while we may imagine car crashes as dramatic, cinematic events, the far more common and preventable truth is that we are simply a species of hurried, distracted primates who are alarmingly bad at waiting our turn, paying attention, and remembering that a two-ton vehicle is not an extension of our impatient personality.
Crash Frequency and Rates
- Intersections accounted for 26% of all crashes in the US in 2022, totaling over 1.1 million incidents.
- Urban intersections experienced 1.2 crashes per million entering vehicles in 2021.
- Signalized intersections had a crash rate of 1.65 per million vehicles in 2020.
- From 2018-2022, unsignalized intersections saw 450,000 crashes annually.
- Left-turn crashes comprised 25% of all intersection crashes in urban areas in 2021.
- Rear-end crashes at intersections: 35% of total intersection crashes in 2022.
- In California, 285,000 intersection crashes reported in 2022.
- Intersection crash rate for roundabouts is 0.35 per million vehicles vs. 4.0 for signals.
- Nighttime intersection crashes: 42% of all intersection crashes in 2021.
- Texas reported 156,000 intersection-involved crashes in 2021.
- Florida intersections: 112,000 crashes in 2022, up 8% from 2021.
- Per intersection mile, crash rate is 5.2 times higher at intersections than midblock.
- 2022 national estimate: 723,000 injury crashes at intersections.
- Rural unsignalized intersections: 2.1 crashes per million entering vehicles.
- NYC intersections: 45,000 crashes in 2022.
- Angle crashes: 22% of intersection crashes nationwide 2021.
- Commercial vehicles in 12% of intersection crashes, 89,000 incidents 2021.
- Wet weather intersection crashes: 15% of total, 165,000 in 2022.
- Speeding-related intersection crashes: 210,000 in 2021.
- Distracted driving: 112,000 intersection crashes in 2022.
- Motorcycle intersection crashes: 78,000 annually average 2019-2023.
- Pedestrian-involved: 56,000 intersection crashes in 2021.
- Cyclist intersection crashes: 34,000 in 2022.
- Elderly driver intersection crashes: 145,000 in 2021.
- Teen driver intersection crashes: 98,000 in 2022.
- Alcohol-related intersection crashes: 156,000 in 2021.
- Red-light running crashes: 89,000 at intersections annually.
- SUV intersection crashes: 245,000 in 2022.
- Head-on intersection crashes: 45,000 in 2021.
Crash Frequency and Rates Interpretation
While the data paints a bleak picture of our nation's intersections as chaotic chokepoints where distracted drivers, left turns, and red-light runners conspire to create over a million crashes a year, the surprisingly low rate at roundabouts suggests we might just be terrible at navigating the very traffic systems we designed.
Fatal Crashes
- In 2021, intersections were the site of 22.6% of all fatal crashes in the United States, totaling 6,589 fatalities.
- Angle crashes at intersections accounted for 48.3% of all intersection-related fatalities in 2020.
- From 2017-2021, 40% of pedestrian fatalities occurred at intersections, with 1,232 deaths in 2021 alone.
- In urban areas, intersection fatal crashes increased by 12% from 2019 to 2021, reaching 4,217 deaths.
- Rear-end crashes at signalized intersections caused 1,856 fatalities between 2015-2019.
- Motorcycle fatalities at intersections rose 28% from 2018 to 2022, with 1,045 deaths in 2022.
- In 2022, 29% of all fatal crashes involved intersections, killing 7,522 people.
- Left-turning vehicles were involved in 42% of intersection fatal crashes in rural areas during 2020.
- From 2016-2020, 5,214 cyclists were killed at intersections nationwide.
- Signalized intersections saw 3,214 fatal crashes in 2021, up 15% from 2019.
- Unsignalized intersections accounted for 18% of fatal crashes, with 2,456 deaths in 2022.
- Nighttime intersection fatal crashes comprised 55% of all intersection fatalities in 2021.
- In California, intersections caused 1,256 fatal crashes in 2022.
- Alcohol-impaired drivers were involved in 32% of intersection fatal crashes in 2020.
- Elderly drivers (65+) were in 22% of intersection fatal crashes from 2018-2022.
- Distracted driving contributed to 14% of intersection fatalities, totaling 892 deaths in 2021.
- Speeding was a factor in 29% of fatal intersection crashes in urban settings in 2022.
- In Texas, 1,892 fatal intersection crashes occurred in 2021.
- Commercial truck fatal crashes at intersections rose 11% from 2019-2022.
- Pedestrian signal violations led to 678 fatal intersection crashes in 2020.
- From 2019-2023, intersection fatal crashes increased by 24% in Florida.
- Right-angle crashes caused 52% of intersection fatalities at unsignalized locations in 2021.
- Teen drivers were involved in 13% of intersection fatal crashes, 1,056 deaths in 2022.
- Wet road conditions contributed to 17% of intersection fatal crashes in 2021.
- In New York City, 412 pedestrian fatalities at intersections in 2022.
- Red-light running caused 682 intersection fatalities annually average 2017-2021.
- SUV involvement in intersection fatal crashes was 35% in 2022.
- Rural intersection fatal crashes totaled 2,145 in 2021, 32% of rural total.
- Head-on crashes at intersections killed 456 people in 2020.
- Vision obstructed fatal crashes at intersections: 1,234 from 2018-2022.
Fatal Crashes Interpretation
Far from the simple crossroads of popular imagination, the modern intersection is a statistically harrowing theater of split-second decisions where nearly a third of all fatal crashes unfold, claiming thousands of lives annually through a grim and predictable repertoire of angled collisions, red-light running, and lethal distraction, proving that when paths cross, tragedy is all too often the result.
Injury Crashes
- In 2021, intersections saw 452,000 injury crashes, representing 28% of total injury crashes.
- Serious injuries at intersections totaled 156,000 in 2022.
- Pedestrian injuries at intersections: 78,000 in 2021.
- Cyclist injuries from intersection crashes: 45,000 in 2022.
- Rear-end intersection injuries: 210,000 in 2021.
- Left-turn maneuver injuries: 112,000 at intersections 2022.
- Urban intersection injury rate: 0.85 per million vehicles.
- Nighttime intersection injuries: 34% of total intersection injuries 2021.
- Distracted driving caused 67,000 intersection injuries in 2022.
- Speeding-related intersection injuries: 89,000 in 2021.
- Alcohol-involved intersection injuries: 98,000 in 2022.
- Motorcycle intersection injuries: 56,000 in 2021.
- Elderly (65+) injuries at intersections: 78,000 in 2022.
- Teen driver intersection injuries: 67,000 in 2021.
- Commercial truck intersection injuries: 34,000 in 2022.
- Red-light running injuries: 45,000 annually average.
- Wet pavement intersection injuries: 56,000 in 2021.
- California intersection injury crashes: 145,000 in 2022.
- Texas intersection injuries: 89,000 in 2021.
- Florida intersection injury crashes: 78,000 in 2022.
- NYC intersection injuries: 23,000 in 2022.
- Angle crash injuries at intersections: 123,000 in 2021.
- Head-on intersection injuries: 23,000 in 2022.
- Signalized intersection injury crashes: 256,000 in 2021.
- Unsignalized intersection injuries: 112,000 in 2022.
- Rural intersection injury rate: 0.45 per million vehicles.
- SUV-related intersection injuries: 89,000 in 2021.
- Obstructed view injuries: 34,000 at intersections 2022.
Injury Crashes Interpretation
The sobering truth is that our nation's intersections have become a chaotic experiment in Darwinism, where distracted drivers, speeders, and left-turners create a bloody daily lottery that pedestrians, cyclists, and the elderly are tragically forced to play.
Safety Measures and Reductions
- Roundabouts reduce car crashes by 75% vs signals.
- Red-light cameras reduce fatal crashes by 24% at treated intersections.
- Protected left-turn phases reduce crashes by 45%.
- Leading pedestrian intervals cut ped crashes 12%.
- Raised medians at intersections reduce cross-path crashes 40%.
- Bike boxes reduce cyclist crashes by 28%.
- HAWK signals reduce ped crashes 48%.
- Rumble strips on approaches cut crashes 22%.
- Automated speed enforcement reduces injury crashes 20%.
- Vision zero initiatives dropped intersection fatalities 15% in participating cities.
- Protected intersections for bikes reduce injuries 30%.
- Flashing yellow arrows cut left-turn crashes 36%.
- Back plates on signals reduce wrong-way turns 19%.
- Count-down pedestrian signals reduce violations 15%.
- DDI (diverging diamond) interchanges cut crashes 40-60%.
- High-visibility crosswalks reduce ped crashes 28%.
- Redundant signs reduce intersection confusion 25%.
- Connected vehicle tech pilots show 80% red-light violation reduction.
- Speed humps near intersections reduce speeds 12%, crashes 18%.
- Lane width reductions to 11ft cut speeds 5%, crashes 10%.
- Advance stop lines reduce rear-ends 15%.
- Vegetation trimming improves sight lines, cuts crashes 14%.
- Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) reduce ped crashes 47%.
- Wrong-way detection systems reduce incidents 70%.
- Adaptive signal control reduces delays, crashes 12%.
- Bike signals reduce cyclist crashes 32%.
- Stop line enforcement cameras cut violations 50%.
- Intersection lighting improvements reduce nighttime crashes 35%.
Safety Measures and Reductions Interpretation
The data suggests we are slowly, and with impressive wit, engineering our way out of the carnage we previously engineered into our roads.
Vehicle Types Involved
- Passenger cars in 78% of intersection crashes as striking vehicle.
- SUVs and pickups involved in 42% of fatal intersection crashes.
- Motorcycles in 5% of intersection crashes but 14% of fatalities.
- Commercial trucks in 9% of intersection crashes, 2022 data.
- Bicycles in 2.3% of intersection crashes, higher injury rate.
- Pedestrians struck in 7% of intersection crashes.
- Large trucks caused 12% of multi-vehicle intersection crashes.
- Passenger vans in 6% of intersection injury crashes.
- Electric vehicles blind spot issues in 11% of ped crashes.
- Sport utility vehicles rollover risk 3x higher at intersections.
- School buses in 1.2% of intersection crashes near schools.
- Delivery vans in 8% urban intersection crashes 2022.
- Minivans occupant protection in 85% of intersection crashes.
- Heavy trucks (GVWR>10k lbs) 4% total but 18% fatal.
- Scooters/e-bikes in 3.5% urban intersection crashes.
- Emergency vehicles in 2% intersection crashes during response.
- Sedans in 55% of rear-end intersection crashes.
- Pickups underride crashes 7% at intersections.
- Autonomous vehicles zero intersection crashes in tests to date.
- Motorized scooters 4.2 crashes per 100k users at intersections.
- Transit buses 3% of urban intersection crashes.
- Compact cars 22% of intersection angle crashes.
- Semitrailers 2.1% but 11% multi-fatality intersections.
Vehicle Types Involved Interpretation
While sedans fender-bend their way to the top of the overall tally, it’s the heavier vehicles—SUVs, pickups, and big rigs—that bring a devastating sense of finality to intersection crashes, proving yet again that in a collision, mass has a nasty habit of becoming the ultimate arbiter.
Sources & References
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