What Oklahoma roads create the highest risk of a car crash?


Car crashes can occur just about anywhere, from the parking lot of your local supermarket to the end of your own driveway. You have to operate under the assumption that a crash could occur at any time. However, there are some locations in Oklahoma where your statistical risk for a car crash is much higher than in other places.

If you identify the roads that have the highest number of serious or fatal car crashes, you can plan a safer route the next time you head out for a drive. When looking at 1,786 deadly collisions that occurred in Oklahoma between 2018 and 2022, it is possible to identify three sections of road in particular with significantly elevated crash risk.

Oklahoma City has some of the most dangerous roads in the state

All three of the deadliest stretches of road in Oklahoma are in Oklahoma City or stretch between Oklahoma City and nearby locales. The third most dangerous section of road in the state is I-35 between Exit 124B and Exit 130. There were seven fatal crashes that caused seven deaths between 2018 and 2020.

I-40 or the Crosstown Expressway from South MacArthur Blvd to Exit 148C is the second-most dangerous stretch of road in the state. It had eight deadly car crashes in three years that caused 11 total fatalities. Finally, the most dangerous section of road in the state is Northeast 23rd Street from North Highland Drive to North Midwest Blvd. This road, US 62, was home to 15 fatal collisions that resulted in 17 deaths between 2018 and 2020.

How knowing these dangerous roads can help you

Obviously, you can’t just avoid some of the most-traveled sections of highway in the state completely, but you can minimize how often you travel on these dangerous stretches of road. When you do have to take the most dangerous streets, you can change your driving behavior to reflect the elevated degree of risk given the route you selected.