Intersections
Intersection Safety Facts & Statistics
Intersection crashes account for more than 45 percent of all reported crashes, and 21 percent of fatalities. In 2003, 9,213 Americans lost their lives as a result of an intersection-related crash - a rate of more than one an hour.
2003 Intersection Fatality Rates, by State [Link to updated file to be provided by FHWA Office of Safety]
Intersection crashes accounted for 21% of roadway fatalities in 2003.
2003 Intersection & Intersection-Related Fatalities, by State (number of fatalities)[Link to updated file to be provided by FHWA Office of Safety]
Reducing intersection crashes is key to reducing the roadway death toll. The DOT is committed to a 20 percent reduction in road-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2008. The Office of Safety recommends that roadway agencies conduct comprehensive intersection analyses to pinpoint safety problems and develop cost-effective solutions such as signalization, signing, pavement marketing, and channelization or turn lanes.
Most intersection crashes occur on arterial roadways.
Number of Intersection Fatalities (2004)
In urban areas, crashes on arterials account for more than two-thirds of fatalities. Red light running is the leading cause of urban crashes.
URBAN Fatalities by Roadway Functional Class
Rural intersection crashes are fewer in number, but they are more often deadly because vehicles traveling on rural roads frequently collide at higher speeds.
RURAL & URBAN PERCENT Fatalities