Phoenix, AZ, drivers deal with wide arterial roads, long left-turn cycles and freeway ramps that fill up fast during rush hour. The Stack, the four-level interchange where I-10 and I-17 come together northwest of downtown, moves hundreds of thousands of vehicles a day. Traffic there can stop without warning, and drivers crossing several lanes to reach an exit ramp often set off rear-end and sideswipe crashes.
Surface streets carry a different kind of risk. At an intersection, drivers turn across oncoming traffic while people walk and bike through the same space, and that mix is behind many of the city's worst crashes. Knowing the most dangerous intersections in Phoenix can help you stay alert in the places where crashes happen most, and it can help you understand what went wrong if you were already hurt in one.
What Are the Most Dangerous Intersections in Phoenix?
The intersections below come from the Maricopa Association of Governments’
ranking of high-risk intersections using crash data from 2018 through 2022. MAG looks at how often crashes happen, how serious they are and the types of crashes involved when scoring each location.
To understand why these intersections may be especially dangerous, we also looked at public crash reports, Phoenix safety projects and city enforcement programs.
1. 67th Avenue and Thomas Road
Drivers making left turns are a safety concern at 67th Avenue and Thomas Road. In one fatal crash, a driver reportedly didn’t see a pedestrian in a crosswalk while turning left. In another, a driver turned into the path of an oncoming vehicle, killing a passenger. These crashes show the risk that left turns can create for both pedestrians and other drivers.
2. 83rd Avenue and Indian School Road
Dangerous left turns, speeding and pedestrian safety are all concerns at 83rd Avenue and Indian School Road. In one fatal crash, a driver turned left into the path of an oncoming vehicle. In another crash, a pedestrian was critically injured.
Phoenix has also made this part of Indian School Road a speed-enforcement area because of serious crashes and speeding. Higher speeds can give drivers less time to react and can make crashes more serious.
3. Cave Creek Road and Sweetwater Avenue
Cave Creek Road and Sweetwater Avenue is considered one of the most dangerous intersections in Phoenix because its crashes tend to be very serious. MAG gave it the highest crash-severity score in the region, even though it had fewer crashes than several other intersections on the list.
The area has also seen serious and fatal crashes involving motorcyclists and pedestrians. That makes the risk to these road users the clearest concern. Speed, visibility and road design may also play a role, but there is not enough evidence yet to say that any one of them is a proven cause.
4. 19th Avenue and Southern Avenue
Left turns are a safety concern at 19th Avenue and Southern Avenue. In 2026, an allegedly impaired driver turned left and hit another vehicle, seriously injuring several people. In a separate crash, a pedestrian in the center turn lane was seriously injured when a driver entered the lane to make a left turn. Both crashes happened in or near the center turn lane, where turning drivers can come into the path of other vehicles or pedestrians.
5. 67th Avenue and Indian School Road
Pedestrian safety is a major concern at 67th Avenue and Indian School Road. A 15-year-old was killed while crossing Indian School Road just west of the intersection outside a marked crosswalk. Police reportedly found that the driver wasn’t speeding or impaired.
Phoenix is also planning safety upgrades along Indian School Road, including more pedestrian crossings, raised medians, better lighting and updated traffic signals.
Injured at One of the Most Dangerous Intersections in Phoenix?
