Intersections are some of the most dangerous areas on the road. The traditional four-way intersection contains 32 vehicle conflict points, which represent the various possibilities in which vehicles may cross paths, merge, or diverge. Moreover, there are 24 conflict points between a vehicle and a pedestrian. The Federal Highway Administration reports that 25% of all traffic fatalities and 50% of all injuries occur at or near intersections.
By comparison, roundabouts, the safer alternative to the traditional intersection, have eight conflict points between vehicles and eight pedestrian conflict points. That is one reason some cities, including Tulsa, have turned to roundabout projects and other intersection redesigns to reduce the risk of severe crashes. But these fixes take time, money, and construction planning, and they cannot be installed everywhere at once.
To better understand the areas in Tulsa with the highest crash risk, the Tulsa car accident attorneys at Gorospe Law Group partnered with 1Point21 Interactive to compile a list of the city’s ten most crash-prone intersections. While Tulsa’s crash data includes intersections involving highways, our analysis focuses only on local roads and streets, excluding any intersection where a highway is one of the intersecting roadways.
Read on to see if you recognize them.
East Admiral Place & South Memorial Drive: Tulsa’s Most Dangerous Intersection
The intersection at East Admiral Place and South Memorial Drive recorded the most crashes and injuries over the study period, with 63 incidents, 41 injuries, and one fatality — the only fatality reported among the intersections analyzed. The intersection is on the original Route 66 corridor and is one of the first intersections before the Route 66 Rising Statue at Admiral and Mingo.
East 71st & South Quincy Avenue: 60 Crashes, 47 Injuries
In second place, the intersection at East 71st Street and South Quincy Avenue, located near the Arkansas River, recorded 60 crashes and 47 injuries. What stands out about this intersection is that it’s not a conventional four-way crossing, but rather a divided intersection, which can make turning movements less intuitive and create more opportunities for drivers to misjudge gaps, speeds, or crossing traffic.
East 71st & South 109th East Avenue: A High-Speed Highway Hotspot
The intersection at East 71st Street and South 109th East Avenue sits just before the ramp area for U.S. 64/Mingo Valley Expressway. It recorded 56 crashes and a high total of 58 injuries. Intersections like this often carry heavy traffic and frequent lane-changing and turning movements as drivers merge toward or away from the highway.
Intersections With the Highest Injury/Crash Ratio
While these intersections didn’t rank the highest for the number of crashes, crashes at these locations were more likely to result in an injury:
- East 91st Street South and Riverside Drive (1.15, ranked 5th for crash total)
- East 71st Street and South 109th East Avenue (1.04, ranked 3rd for crash total)
- South Memorial Drive and East 41st Street (0.94, ranked 7th for crash total)
Top 10 Crash-Prone Intersections in Tulsa
| Rank | Intersection | 5-Year Crash Total | 5-Year Injury Total | 5-Year Fatality Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Admiral Place & South Memorial Drive | 63 | 41 | 1 |
| 2 | East 71st Street & South Quincy Avenue | 60 | 47 | 0 |
| 3 | East 71st Street & South 109th East Avenue | 56 | 58 | 0 |
| 4 | East 21st Street & South Garnett Road | 53 | 26 | 0 |
| 5 | East 91st Street South & Riverside Drive | 52 | 60 | 0 |
| 6 | East 31st Street & South Garnett Road | 50 | 39 | 0 |
| 7 | South Memorial Drive & East 41st Street | 48 | 45 | 0 |
| 8 | East 51st Street & South Harvard Avenue | 47 | 39 | 0 |
| 9 | North Yale Avenue & East Pine Street | 46 | 36 | 0 |
| 10 | South Peoria Avenue & East 11th Street | 44 | 23 | 0 |
Interactive Map: Dangerous Intersections in Tulsa
Hover over a dot on the map to see data about that intersection.
Staying Safe at Tulsa’s Most Dangerous Intersections
Drivers should approach intersections with caution, leaving room between cars to anticipate what others might do. While some may use intersection stops as a moment to check their phone or grab something from the backseat, even short distractions can increase the risk of a crash.
Furthermore, it’s important to check both sides for crossing pedestrians and ensure that cross traffic has cleared before moving through. A few simple habits like these can go a long way toward safer roads. For live updates on Tulsa’s traffic, visit the City of Tulsa Traffic Flow live map.
If you or a loved one has been injured at one of Tulsa’s dangerous intersections, Gorospe Law Group is here to help. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation and learn how we can help protect your rights and secure the compensation you deserve.
Methodology
Five years of crash data (2017-2021) from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (OHSO) were analyzed to determine the most crash-prone intersections in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Fair Use Statement
We ask that any use or republication of our findings include a link to this page so readers can access the full study.