Probability of a Crash at an Intersection

Intersections are the most dangerous locations on the road network, accounting for approximately 40% of all crashes, 50% of serious injury crashes, and 21% of traffic fatalities in the United States. This translates to roughly 2.5 million intersection-related crashes annually.

The most common intersection crash types include left-turn crashes (which account for about 22% of all intersection crashes), red-light running (causing about 928 deaths per year), failure to yield right-of-way, and rear-end collisions at signal-controlled intersections. Urban intersections are particularly dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists, who are involved in a disproportionate share of intersection fatalities.

Roundabouts have emerged as one of the most effective safety countermeasures, reducing fatal and serious injury crashes by 78-82% compared to traditional signalized intersections. Other proven interventions include red-light cameras (reducing fatal red-light running crashes by 21%), leading pedestrian intervals, protected left-turn phases, improved sight lines, and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication technology. Autonomous emergency braking systems in modern vehicles are also reducing intersection crash severity.