Intersections present a unique set of hazards for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Conflicting traffic patterns, limited visibility, and improper signaling often contribute to the high number of fatal accidents at these locations.
To better understand where motorists and other road users are at the highest risk of being killed, Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers examined data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on fatal accidents that took place between 2004 and 2022.
During that span, over 21,000 people were killed at intersections in the Northeastern United States – with urban areas being particularly dangerous due to higher traffic volumes.
Key Findings
- 9 of the 10 deadliest intersections in the Northeast are four-way intersections with traffic control signals.
- Rhode Island and Maine are the only two states with more than one intersection among the top 12 deadliest in the region.
- 3 of the deadliest intersections can be found on US-1
- 84% of all fatal intersection-related crashes at the intersections happened in urban areas – the most of any U.S. region.
- Fatal intersection-related crashes are more likely to involve a pedestrian in the Northeast. In fact, 1 in 4 involved a pedestrian.
A Decline in Fatal Crashes
Unlike other major U.S. regions, the Northeast saw a decline in intersection-related fatalities during the observation period. Fatal crashes dropped by 8.5%, while the number of fatalities decreased by 9%. Despite this overall improvement, the Northeast had the highest proportion of pedestrian-involved crashes at intersections, with 27% of all crashes involving at least one pedestrian.
The 10 Deadliest Intersections in the Northeast United States
Here are the intersections with the most fatal crashes during the observation period:
Lalor Street & SR-129
With 7 fatal crashes and 7 fatalities, the intersection of Lalor Street and SR-129 in Mercer County, New Jersey is the deadliest in the Northeastern and among the five most dangerous intersections in the entire United States.
Mercer County, New Jersey
Traffic Control Device: Traffic Light
Intersection Type: Four-Way Intersection
Fatal Crashes: 7
Fatalities: 7
SR-132 (Street Road) & SR-2019 (Knights Road)
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Traffic Control Device: Traffic Light
Intersection Type: Four-Way Intersection
Fatal Crashes: 6
Fatalities: 6
Jamaica Ave & Woodhaven Boulevard
Queens County, New York
Traffic Control Device: Traffic Light
Intersection Type: Four-Way Intersection
Fatal Crashes: 5
Fatalities: 5
SR-70 & Massachusetts Avenue
Ocean County, New Jersey
Traffic Control Device: Traffic Light
Intersection Type: Four-Way Intersection
Fatal Crashes: 5
Fatalities: 5
C Street & US-1 Roosevelt Boulevard
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Traffic Control Device: Traffic Light
Intersection Type: Four-Way Intersection
Fatal Crashes: 4
Fatalities: 4
CR-51 (Moriches-Riverhead Road) & CR-111 (Captain Daniel Roe Highway)
Suffolk County, New York
Traffic Control Device: None
Intersection Type: Four-Way Intersection
Fatal Crashes: 4
Fatalities: 4
Grand Avenue & Village Avenue
Nassau County, New York
Traffic Control Device: Traffic Light
Intersection Type: Four-Way Intersection
Fatal Crashes: 4
Fatalities: 4
US-1 & East Jersey Street
Union County, New Jersey
Traffic Control Device: Traffic Light
Intersection Type: Four-Way Intersection
Fatal Crashes: 4
Fatalities: 4
US-1 & East Grand Street
Union County, New Jersey
Traffic Control Device: Traffic Light
Intersection Type: Four-Way Intersection
Fatal Crashes: 4
Fatalities: 4
Andover Road & US-130 (Burlington Pike)
Burlington County, New Jersey
Traffic Control Device: Traffic Light
Intersection Type: Four-Way Intersection
Fatal Crashes: 4
Fatalities: 4
Data and Methodology
This analysis is based on fatal crash data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the years 2004 through 2022. Only crashes marked as “intersection-related” by the NHTSA were included. The Northeastern region is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau and includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.