HOUSTON – A new nationwide study examining fatal intersection crashes reveals a troubling divide across Texas, with some cities emerging as among the safest in America while others are seeing deadly crashes surge.
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The research, conducted by Florida-based personal injury firm Blakeley Law Firm using federal crash data from 2020 through 2024, found that Texas cities appeared on both ends of the rankings.
For Houston drivers, the numbers paint a concerning, but complicated, picture.
Houston recorded some of the highest raw totals of fatal intersection crashes in the study, averaging dozens of deadly crashes each year. However, unlike several other major cities, Houston’s numbers remained relatively stable over the five-year period.
According to the study, Houston recorded:
- 76 fatal intersection crashes in 2020
- 88 in 2021
- 76 in 2022
- 62 in 2023
- 78 in 2024
That represents a net increase of just two crashes over five years.
Researchers say the data suggests Houston’s issue is not necessarily a rapid worsening trend, but rather consistently high crash totals tied to heavy traffic, sprawling development, and high-speed roadways.
Meanwhile, Dallas stood out nationwide for the wrong reasons.
The study found Dallas experienced the largest increase in fatal intersection crashes of any city analyzed, jumping from 42 deadly crashes in 2020 to 74 in 2024, a staggering increase of 32 crashes.
Researchers described the trend as evidence that intersection safety may be “quietly worsening over time” in some rapidly growing cities.
Plano also saw fatal intersection crashes more than double during the study period, rising from four crashes in 2020 to 10 in 2024.
But while some Texas cities are trending upward, others ranked among the safest in the nation.
Frisco ranked as the second-safest city in America for fatal intersection crashes, recording just 1.00 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents and averaging only two deadly crashes annually.
Irving also ranked among the country’s safest cities.
The report points to newer suburban infrastructure, modern road design, and more controlled traffic patterns as possible reasons why cities like Frisco continue outperforming much larger metro areas.
Researchers say the findings challenge the idea that population size alone determines roadway safety.
New York City, the nation’s largest city with nearly 8 million residents, ranked safer per capita than many smaller U.S. cities.
Instead, the study argues roadway design, speed management, and infrastructure planning play a much larger role in whether intersections become deadly.
Nationally, Kansas City, Missouri ranked as the most dangerous city for fatal intersection crashes, followed by Columbus, Ohio and Memphis, Tennessee.
The study analyzed fatal intersection crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from 2020 through 2024 and adjusted crash rates per 100,000 residents to compare cities of different sizes.