There were almost 19,000 traffic accidents in Oklahoma City, OK, in 2021, including 95 fatal crashes and 293 serious injuries. Many of these serious car accidents occur along a handful of dangerous roads and highways or at risky intersections.
If you have been seriously hurt in an accident, consider reaching out to Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers. We have more than 95 years of combined experience representing accident victims and can put this experience to work for you.
Schedule a free consultation or call us at (405) 497-0480 to learn about your legal rights and options following a collision.
How Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You if You’ve Been Hurt in an Auto Accident in OKC
A car accident in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, can change your life in the blink of an eye. When you are left with uncertainty, mounting medical bills, and a painful recovery ahead of you, you deserve an Oklahoma City personal injury lawyer who will fight for you.
Since 2009, Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers has recovered in excess of $100 million for our clients. When you hire our personal injury law firm, we can:
- Investigate your accident and gather evidence
- Document the full extent of your damages
- Handle every detail of your insurance claim
- Negotiate on your behalf to pursue a fair settlement
- Represent you in court and present your case to a jury if needed
Contact our law office today for a free initial consultation with an Oklahoma City car accident attorney.
What Are the Most Dangerous Intersections in Oklahoma City?
According to statistics, in 2021, there were 338 serious injury-causing and fatal crashes in Oklahoma City. Many of these were intersection accidents. According to data from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (OHSO), the following are some of the most dangerous intersections in OKC:
- Western Ave & Reno Ave
- SW 59t St & S Western Ave
- SW 44th St & Johnston Dr
- NW 39th St & N St Claire Ave
- NW 39th St & N Land Ave
- NW 39th St & Lake Hefner Parkway
- I-44 & NW 39th Expressway
- I-44 & I-235
- I-40 & I-44
- I-40 & Choctaw Rd
- I-240 & US 77
- I-35 & I-240
Highway interchanges are among the most dangerous intersections because they involve high-speed merging. Drivers may need to monitor multiple lanes of traffic and anticipate behavior from several directions.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) has recently completed many highway interchange improvement projects, with several others on the slate. It’s important to be cautious when driving through highway construction zones, as temporary closures and traffic diversions can mean sudden changes to a familiar commute.
The I-235 and I-44 interchange was notoriously complicated and congested. After three years of construction, improvements on the interchange were completed in 2022 to widen I-235 to six lanes and up to eight lanes in some areas. A 45-foot-tall railroad truss bridge was built over I-235 in 2018 to further modernize the interchange and ease traffic.
In 2023, construction began on improvements for the I-35/I-240 interchange, which is expected to last two years. The current interchange is an outdated cloverleaf design with outdated ramps, traffic congestion, and poorly spaced access. These conditions all affect safety. In 2021, this interchange was the site of one fatal accident.
For pedestrians and bicyclists, the Western Ave & Reno Ave intersection is the most dangerous in Oklahoma City. In a recent year, there were seven injuries and one fatality at this intersection involving bicycle and pedestrian accidents. The second-most dangerous intersection was Pennsylvania Ave & 23rd St N, with one fatality and six injuries involving pedestrian and bicycle accidents.
What Are the Most Dangerous Roads in Oklahoma City?
Oklahoma City has a vast network of state and interstate highways, many of which are plagued by traffic congestion and large, confusing interchanges. Several highways share multiple interchanges with each other or run concurrently through sections of the city.
With multiple commercial districts along large, busy interchanges combined with a network of bridges and sprawling growth, traffic accidents are common on Oklahoma City highways.
Here are the most dangerous roads in OKC, most of which are interstate or state highways.
Interstate 40
I-40 is one of the busiest roads in OKC and cuts through the center of the city. In 2021, there were 10 fatal accidents along I-40 in Oklahoma City, more than any other stretch of road. There were three hotspots for fatal collisions: N Martin Luther King Ave, S Pennsylvania Ave, and Choctaw Rd. There were two fatal crashes each at these interchanges or highway ramps.
The I-40 and Choctaw Rd interchange was recently improved, with the partial cloverleaf interchange remade into a full diamond interchange. I-40 was also widened with new auxiliary lanes between Choctaw Rd and the I-240 junction. Nearly 56,000 vehicles travel this section every day.
Northwest Expressway
The Northwest Expressway is the section of State Highway 3 running through Oklahoma City. SH-3 is Oklahoma’s longest state highway. It’s a major artery of the OKC highway system with a diagonal route serving the northwestern part of the city. At certain sections, it becomes concurrent with I-44, I-240, and I-40.
It’s one of the most infamous roads in the city with significant traffic loads. In 2021, there were six fatal accidents along the Northwest Expressway.
Turner Turnpike
The Turner Turnpike is the main corridor between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Oklahoma recently approved a long-term plan that will add three routes, add and widen lanes, and improve lighting. This plan will complete the Oklahoma City Outer Loop.
In 2023, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority increased the speed limit from 75 to 80 mph for a 13-mile stretch of the turnpike. With regular traffic congestion and high posted speed limits, accidents are common and can be serious.
Interstate 44 (Will Rogers Expressway)
I-44 connects Oklahoma City, Lawton, and Tulsa and terminates in St. Louis, Missouri. It follows the Turner Turnpike from OKC to Tulsa. Most of the highway is a toll road in Oklahoma, but it’s toll-free in Oklahoma City, where it’s known as the Will Rogers Expressway.
Will Rogers Expressway serves the Will Rogers World Airport, the rural areas of northern OKC, and meets with I-40 near downtown at the Amarillo Junction. It also has junctions with I-235 and US-77 (the Broadway Extension) before following I-35 and then the Turner Turnpike.
In 2022, an 11-year improvement project of the I-44/US-77 interchange was finally completed to eliminate two cloverleaf ramps, widen two others, and add flyover ramps. It became the first four-level interchange in Oklahoma.
In 2021, there were 5 fatal collisions along the Will Rogers Expressway, including two near Kelly Ave and one near I-240. Just outside OKC in Sapulpa, icy road conditions on I-44 led to a fiery multi-vehicle pileup. The crash involved two semi-tractor trailers, one SUV, and one other vehicle.
Interstate 35
I-35 runs north-south from Laredo, TX, through Oklahoma to Duluth, MN. I-35 splits multiple times as it runs through OKC, which contributes to crashes. Close to downtown, I-35 splits, becoming I-235/US-77 in one direction and running concurrently with I-40 briefly before splitting again and joining I-44.
In 2021, there were four fatal collisions on I-35 in Oklahoma City. One was near the I-40 interchange, and another was near the I-240 interchange.
In 1998, ODOT began a project to redesign the I-35/I-240 interchange in favor of a multi-level interchange with service roads, turnaround lanes, and dedicated interstate ramps. The project didn’t begin until 2016, with phase 1A completed in 2018. Phase 1B began five years later and is expected to be done by 2025.
Schedule a Free Case Assessment With Our Experienced Oklahoma City Car Accident Lawyers
When you are dealing with a long recovery, painful injuries, and financial insecurity, you should not be forced to deal with unfair insurance company tactics. Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers is here to fight for the full compensation you deserve.
Reach out to our office today at (405) 497-0480 to schedule a consultation with an Oklahoma City car accident lawyer to review your legal options and how we can help.