Top Five Worst Intersections For Car Accidents In Denver, Colorado

With more than three million people living in the Denver area, traffic accidents happen every day. However, some intersections are more dangerous than others. So, what are the most dangerous intersections in Denver? And what can you do if you’re hurt in a dangerous intersection in Denver?

The car accident lawyers at Bachus & Schanker have successfully handled thousands of cases. We have offices throughout the state, including in Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Englewood, and Fort Collins, along with an office in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Here’s what you need to know from our Colorado car accident lawyers.

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Most Dangerous Intersections In Colorado

The most dangerous intersections in Denver are 20th and Market and North Quebec Street and East Martin Luther King Boulevard. The most dangerous intersection for pedestrians is 20th and Market, with five pedestrian accidents in 2018. The most dangerous intersections for motor vehicles are North Quebec Street and East Martin Luther King Boulevard, where 40 motor vehicle accidents occurred in 2018.

Most Dangerous Intersections For Pedestrians

Here are the top five intersections for pedestrian accidents in Denver:

Market and 20th
North Lincoln and East Colfax
North Broadway and East 13th Avenue
Blake Street and 20th
South University Boulevard and East Asbury Avenue

Each of these intersections had between three and five pedestrian accidents each in 2018. Additionally, there are 40 more intersections that each had two or three pedestrian accidents in 2018.

Most Dangerous Denver Intersections For Motor Vehicles

Here are the top five intersections for motor vehicle accidents in Denver:

North Quebec Street and East Martin Luther King Boulevard
Colfax Avenue and North Speer Boulevard
West 6th Avenue and North Kalamath Street
West Alameda Avenue and South Santa Fe Drive
West Evans Avenue and South Federal Boulevard

Each of these intersections had at least 34 accidents in 2018. There are five more intersections that have more than 30 accidents each year.

Most Dangerous Intersections In Boulder

Crash data reveals that the city of Boulder had over 12,000 traffic accidents between 2017 and 2023. These accidents included the following:

17 fatal accidents
305 incapacitating injury accidents

Boulder had 603 bicycle accidents and 337 pedestrian accidents over that period. These relatively high numbers are a likely result of the large student population.

According to the city’s data, these are five of the most dangerous intersections in Boulder:

Diagonal Highway and Foothills Parkway
Boulder Canyon Drive and Broadway
Canyon Boulevard and 15th Street
Arapahoe Avenue and 17th Street
28th Street and Pearl Street

The most dangerous intersections for pedestrians and bicyclists seem to be University Avenue and Broadway.

Most Dangerous Intersections In Colorado Springs

Crash data from Colorado Springs covers 84,457 traffic accidents between 2021 and 2024. Of these, 8,618 involved at least one injury, and 402 involved one or more deaths. Some of the most dangerous intersections in Colorado Springs include:

Palmer Park Boulevard and Academy Boulevard
Briargate Parkway and Chapel Hills Drive
Academy Boulevard and Platte Avenue
I-25 on-ramps and off-ramps at Bijou Street
Janitell Road and Circle Drive

The deadliest intersection for pedestrians is at Las Vegas Street and Nevada Avenue. Over the past four years, 21 pedestrians have been hit at this intersection, including three who died from their injuries.

Most Dangerous Intersections In Aurora

The Colorado Crash Data Dashboard states that Aurora had 6,556 car accidents in 2023. These car accidents included the following:

58 fatal crashes resulting in 45 motorist fatalities and 13 non-motorist deaths
2,544 non-fatal injury crashes

Aurora does not have a recent crash map. However, in 2013, Arapahoe County released a list of high-incidence intersections where the most collisions occurred between 2011 and 2013. These intersections included the following:

Iliff Avenue and Quebec Street
Iliff Avenue and Trenton Way
Dry Creek Road and Inverness Drive
Smoky Hill Road and Versailles Parkway
Iliff Avenue and Valentia Street

The county’s report stated that each of these intersections had at least seven collisions reported to the police over a three-year period.

Colorado Car Accident Statistics

According to the Colorado Crash Data Dashboard, the state had 102,749 traffic accidents in 2023. This was the first time since 2019 that the total broke 100,000 crashes. Colorado car accidents in 2023 included:

666 fatal accidents
26,866 non-fatal injury accidents

Fatalities in these crashes included the following:

566 motorists, including drivers, passengers, and motorcyclists
125 pedestrians
29 bicyclists

El Paso County led the state in motorist fatalities in 2023. Denver County had the most pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities that year.

Denver Car Accident Statistics

The Colorado Crash Data Dashboard also has recent accident statistics for Denver. In 2023, Denver had 33,922 traffic accidents. These accidents caused 78 deaths — 45 motorists and 33 non-motorists, such as pedestrians and cyclists. Auto crashes also injured 5,505 people, including 4,845 motorists and 660 non-motorists.

According to the Denver Regional Council of Governments, 67.6% of traffic accidents in Denver involve two or more moving motor vehicles. 17.3% involve fixed objects, while 8.6% involve a parked vehicle. 1.3% of crashes involve a pedestrian, and 1% involve an animal. The Colorado Department of Transportation says that 85% of all traffic crashes in Denver are preventable.

Most Common Causes Of Traffic Accidents In Colorado

As many as 38% of Denver accidents involve careless driving. Following too close, resulting in rear-end collisions, failure to yield, lane violations, and speeding are other top causes of traffic accidents in the city. Authorities say that distracted driving contributes to one in every four accidents.

Inexperience contributes to 17% of accidents, while aggressive driving contributes 10.5% of crashes. Drunk driving contributes to 9.9% of accidents. Male drivers between the ages of 15 and 34 are more likely to be involved in an accident than other age and gender groups.

What Are Your Rights If You’re Hurt In A Dangerous Intersection In Denver?

If you suffer from car accident injuries from a crash at a dangerous intersection in Denver, you have rights under both state and local law. All of the State of Colorado traffic laws apply. Additionally, there may be special ordinances that apply to traffic in the city of Denver.

After an accident on the highway or at an intersection, all of the standards of negligence laws apply. Colorado is an at-fault state. That means that when an accident occurs in the city of Denver, you may pursue a claim against the responsible party based on negligence as long as it’s within Colorado’s statute of limitations. If a driver violates a Colorado or Denver traffic law, the violation is strong proof of the driver’s negligence.

Can You Sue The City Of Denver For A Car Accident?

Yes, in some cases, you can sue the city of Denver for a car accident. If a car accident occurs because the city fails to maintain the road in a reasonable condition, the victim may bring a claim against the city because of the accident. The victim may collect damages from the city based on Colorado’s negligence laws.

Suing The City Of Denver For A Dangerous Road

Generally, the City of Denver is immune from lawsuits. However, the city waives immunity under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act in some circumstances. Colorado Revised Statutes 24-10-103 is the governmental immunity law. However, Colorado Revised Statutes 24-10-106 says that the city waives its immunity and allows lawsuits for negligence and premises liability when the city allows a dangerous condition to occur.

City Of Denver Lawsuit Based On Unreasonable Road Conditions

To bring a lawsuit based on dangerous road conditions in Denver, you must show that the road is an unreasonable health and safety risk to the public. Where the condition of the road interferes with the movement of traffic, negligence laws allow the victim to claim compensation from the city. The victim is burdened to prove that the government is not immune from a lawsuit.

Dangerous Road Lawsuits In Denver

In the Dennis v. City and County of Denver case, a motorcycle accident victim brought a dangerous road case against the city. The victim sought compensation for brain damage and other injuries. They presented proof that the motorcyclist was unable to stop their vehicle because the road deteriorated.

The court ruled that the victim had a valid lawsuit. The court said it was up to the jury to decide if the road was unreasonably dangerous. The city doesn’t have to upgrade roads or install new technologies to comply with the law. However, they have to maintain the road in reasonable condition based on how it was constructed. The city must know or should know about the dangerous conditions at the time of the accident. The court allowed the lawsuit to go forward based on the evidence of the dangerous road conditions.

Contact Our Colorado Attorneys For Car Accidents

Were you in an accident in Colorado? Our legal team can help. At Bachus & Schanker, LLC, we fight for all accident victims. We help you explore all avenues to get top dollar for your car accident claim, including evaluating whether you have a claim based on dangerous conditions at an intersection.

Don’t become a victim twice. We have multiple locations near you in Denver, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Englewood, and throughout the state of Colorado. Our attorneys are ready to serve you and fight for the compensation you deserve. Call us today to see how we can fight for you. Your call is free and confidential.