What Are the Most Dangerous Roads in Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City drivers deal with busy highways, crowded intersections, and changing road conditions every day. While any street can become dangerous during bad weather or heavy traffic, some roads have a history of serious and fatal crashes. Knowing which roads in Oklahoma City have been identified as higher-risk areas, and what can make a roadway dangerous, can help drivers understand where crashes happen and why. This article looks at some of the most dangerous roads in Oklahoma City, local crash statistics, common road hazards, and what to do if a dangerous road contributes to an accident.

How Do Dangerous Roads Cause Car Accidents In Oklahoma City?

Even the most careful driver who follows all Oklahoma traffic laws and avoids distractions can have an accident when there’s a dangerous condition on the road. Some road hazards are caused by inclement weather conditions, such as ice or rain, requiring drivers to take extra precautions, but when someone else’s negligence causes the road hazard, it’s not always possible to be prepared and avoid an accident. Common causes of dangerous road accidents in Oklahoma City include the following:

Potholes
Excessive sand on the road shoulder
Uneven pavement
Obstructed signs
Uncleared debris like branches and loose gravel
Road construction debris
Obstacles such as barrels and traffic cones
Poor lighting
Confusing intersection designs
Faulty signal lights
Obstructed views at intersections (such as buildings or signs in the way)
Uneven road shoulders
Lack of guardrails
Faded road markings
Unsafe bridges

City, county, and federal agencies are responsible for maintaining roadways in Oklahoma City. This duty includes clearing obstructions, repairing signal light malfunctions, and designing sensible intersections with clear views.

What Are the Most Dangerous Roads in Oklahoma City?

The most dangerous roads in Oklahoma City are concentrated along the city’s High Injury Network, which identifies streets where serious and fatal crashes are more common. Oklahoma City’s Vision Zero analysis looked at crash records from 2017 through 2021 and found 49,249 crashes during that five-year period.

Several statistics show just how serious the problem has been:

2017-2021: Oklahoma City recorded 49,249 total crashes.
2017-2021: 223 crashes were fatal.
2017-2021: 993 crashes resulted in suspected serious injuries.
2017-2021: Another 4,093 crashes caused suspected minor injuries.
2021: 99 people were killed in traffic crashes in Oklahoma City.
2017-2021: Traffic deaths increased by 34% over the five-year period.

Some of the roads identified on Oklahoma City’s High Injury Network include NE 23rd Street, NW 23rd Street, Mustang Road, SW 44th Street, S Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 10th Street, and Northwest Expressway.

Speed is also a concern. According to Oklahoma City, most traffic deaths occur on streets with speed limits of 45 mph or higher or where street lighting is limited.

Intersection data points to Northwest Expressway as another area drivers may want to approach carefully. In a separate five-year analysis, Northwest Expressway and Belle Isle Boulevard recorded 255 crashes and 124 injuries, making it the most crash-prone intersection included in that Oklahoma study.

What Types of Accidents Happen on Dangerous Roads?

Dangerous road conditions can contribute to several types of car accidents in Oklahoma City. The type of crash often depends on the hazard, where it is located, and whether a driver has enough time to react.

Accidents that may involve dangerous road conditions include:

Rear-end collisions: Poor lighting, obstructed signs, or malfunctioning traffic signals can leave drivers with little warning that traffic ahead has slowed or stopped.
Intersection crashes: Faulty signals, blocked views, confusing intersection designs, and faded markings can make it difficult for drivers to tell when they have the right of way.
Head-on collisions: Missing or faded lane markings may make it harder to see where one lane ends and another begins, particularly at night or during bad weather.
Sideswipe accidents: Narrow lanes, construction zones, uneven pavement, and unclear markings can put vehicles too close to neighboring traffic.
Pedestrian accidents: Poor lighting, blocked signs, and problems with crosswalks or traffic signals can put people walking near or across the road at risk.
Bicycle accidents: Potholes, loose gravel, uneven pavement, debris, and unsafe road shoulders can be particularly dangerous for cyclists.
Single-vehicle crashes: A driver may lose control after hitting a pothole, encountering debris, driving onto an uneven shoulder, or swerving to avoid an unexpected road hazard.

The presence of a road hazard does not automatically mean the city, county, construction company, or another party is responsible for a crash. Determining liability requires looking at what caused the dangerous condition, who was responsible for the roadway, and whether that party knew or should have known about the problem.

Who Is Liable After an Accident Caused by a Defective or Dangerous Road?

After a serious car accident caused by a defective or dangerous road in Oklahoma City, it often takes an experienced investigation to document compelling evidence proving the responsible party’s liability. Common liable parties in hazardous roadway accidents include the following:

City or county road maintenance agencies
Negligent road construction crews
A city or county road planning agency that is responsible for designing a confusing intersection

Proving liability requires showing evidence that the responsible party failed in their duty of care to prevent injuries to those on the roadway, that their failure directly caused an accident with injuries, and that the injury victim suffered damages from the injury.

What Should I Do After an Accident Caused by a Dangerous Road?

After an accident caused by a dangerous road in Oklahoma City, document the road condition as soon as you safely can. Potholes can be repaired, debris can be removed, traffic signals can be fixed, and construction zones can change. Evidence available immediately after the crash may not be there days or weeks later.

If you are able to do so safely after the accident:

Photograph the road hazard. Take pictures of potholes, debris, damaged pavement, missing signs, construction equipment, or other conditions that may have contributed to the crash.
Document signs and traffic signals. Photos or videos can help show whether a sign was blocked, markings were faded, lighting was poor, or a traffic signal was malfunctioning.
Record the exact location. Write down the road, nearest intersection, direction you were traveling, and where the hazard was located.
Get witness information. Ask witnesses for their names and contact information, particularly if they saw the road condition or the crash itself.
Report the accident. A police report can document when and where the collision happened and provide another record of the incident.
Seek medical attention. Some injuries may not be obvious immediately after a collision. Medical records can also document your injuries and treatment following the crash.
Keep records related to your losses. Save medical bills, vehicle repair estimates, receipts, and other documents connected to the accident.

When a city, county, or other government agency may be responsible for a dangerous road, different claim procedures and deadlines may apply. Preserving evidence early can make it easier to determine what happened and who may be legally responsible.

How Can a Dangerous Road Accident Attorney Help My Case?

Claims against government entities, such as city road planning and road maintenance agencies, are complex and include timelines and paperwork requirements different from those of typical car accidents. Call a personal injury lawyer in Oklahoma City from Dan Davis Law to speak to a hazardous roadway accident lawyer who can help with this very specific type of claim.