What makes these the 5 most dangerous intersections in Denver?

When reflecting on the traffic issues you deal with daily in Denver, there are several basic factors to consider. For instance, over the past eight years, the metro population added 350,000 people, putting additional pressure on the highway infrastructure.

Traffic accidents have increased dramatically across the nation, with more than 20,000 traffic fatalities in the first half of 2021. Increased speeding and drunken driving figured into this surge.

Some intersections are simply more dangerous

These statistics, however, do not diminish the fact that certain Denver intersections are much more likely to be the site of crashes than others and they have been for some time. The most recent accident reports peg the five most wreck-prone spots:

1. West Alameda Avenue at South Santa Fe Drive
2. West Colfax Avenue at Speer Boulevard
3. West Evans Avenue at South Federal Boulevard
4. West Alameda Avenue at South Federal Boulevard
5. Quebec Street at East 36^th Avenue

Certain factors turn intersections into accident hotspots

The Federal Highway Commission reports that more than 50% of all collisions and fatalities occur at intersections. Estimates are that more than 95% of intersection accidents are the result of driver error. Among the chief mistakes drivers make are failing to adequately observe, driving while distracted, misjudging the intentions of other motorists and performing illegal actions such as speeding, driving aggressively or running a red light.

Such dangerous driving habits, unfortunately, are not confined to these intersections. In fact, these hotspots are merely the tip of the iceberg during a period when Denver is experiencing an inordinate number of driver-error accidents.