Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections in 2021

Our auto accident attorneys share our annual list of Michigan’s most dangerous intersections based on official car accident statistics for 2021

What are Michigan’s most dangerous intersections? As we do every year, our auto accident attorneys have assembled the following list of Michigan’s Top 20 Most Dangerous Intersections in 2021 based on Michigan State Police official data for the number of car accidents that occurred at intersections in 2021.

Knowing the interchanges that have the most car accidents allows prudent drivers to decide whether it is better and safer to avoid these roads and take alternative routes.

While a car accident does not always mean someone was injured, it does increase substantially the likelihood of an injury occurring.

At the very least, we hope this list will alert drivers to the fact that they should be extra-cautious when traveling through these areas.

We wish to sincerely thank everyone at the Michigan State Police, especially the Traffic Crash Reporting Unit for compiling the auto accident crash data that we use to identify Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections. The Michigan State Police’s underlying data analysis is compiled using motor vehicle accident reports filed by local law enforcement and police departments throughout Michigan.

What Were Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections in 2021?

1. 11 MILE RD/I 696 @ VAN DYKE AVE, Warren, 173 Total Crashes, 38 Injuries

2. 10 MILE RD @ I 94, St. Clair Shores, 168 Total Crashes, 42 Injuries

3. 18 1/2 MILE RD @ VAN DYKE AVE, Sterling Heights, 168 Total Crashes, 17 Injuries (Roundabout)

4. MARTIN PKWY @ N PONTIAC TRL, Commerce Township, 140 Total Crashes, 18 Injuries (Roundabout)

5. US 131 @ WEALTHY ST, Grand Rapids, 134 Total Crashes, 26 Injuries

6. ORCHARD LAKE RD @ 14 MILE RD, Farmington Hills, 122 Total Crashes, 15 Injuries (Roundabout)

7. 12 MILE RD @ I 94, St. Clair Shores/Roseville, 121 Total Crashes, 47 Injuries

8. SCHOOLCRAFT RD @ TELEGRAPH RD, Redford Township, 104 Total Crashes, 21 Injuries

9. TELEGRAPH RD @ 12 MILE RD, Southfield, 95 Total Crashes, 15 Injuries

10. 11 MILE RD @ GRATIOT AVE E, Roseville, 92 Total Crashes, 9 Injuries

11. SOUTHFIELD RD @ W 11 MILE RD, Lathrup Village, 91 Total Crashes, 28 Injuries

12. HALL RD @ VAN DYKE AVE, Utica, 86 Total Crashes, 15 Injuries

13. SAGINAW ST @ N HOMER ST, Lansing Township, 85 Total Crashes, 26 Injuries

14. DIX AVE @ M 39, Lincoln Park, 83 Total Crashes, 17 Injuries

15. STATE ST @ ELLSWORTH RD, Ann Arbor, 79 Total Crashes, 1 Injury (Roundabout)

16. MIDDLE BELT RD @ SCHOOLCRAFT RD, Livonia, 78 Total Crashes, 16 Injuries

17. FORD RD @ LILLEY RD, Canton Township, 75 Total Crashes, 32 Injuries

18. FRANKLIN ST SW @ US 131, Grand Rapids, 75 Total Crashes, 10 Injuries

19. 6 MILE RD @ I 96/I 275, Livonia, 73 Total Crashes, 19 Injuries

20. LEE RD @ WHITMORE LAKE RD, Green Oak Township, 71 Total Crashes, 5 Injuries (West Roundabout)

– Source: Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reporting Unit (NOTE: The list of Michigan’s most dangerous intersections is the most current data available for total crashes at intersections in Michigan in 2021. “Intersection” is defined as any road with a traffic signal, four-way stop or roundabout. The crash data encompasses and includes any traffic accident reported that occurred within 200 feet of an intersection including near freeways (and their subsequent on-ramps off-ramps and service streets), divided highways and rural roads.)

The more heavily traveled roads will tend to have more total car accidents. Also, highly-populated areas tend to have more cars on the roads and therefore more auto accidents. Additionally, freeway on/off ramps remain top contributors for causing a high number of car accidents. Many Michigan “on/off” ramps have older “cloverleaf” designs that are less safe than newer ramps.  

Finally, even though an auto accident does not always result in a person being injured, it does increase substantially the likelihood of an injury occurring.

Trending Up

All but one of the intersections on our Top 20 list of Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections for 2021 saw increases in total crashes over levels in 2020.

Disappointing as this news is, it is not surprising given how COVID, lockdowns and remote working decreased the number car accidents in 2020. As things began to more closely resemble “normal” – as things started to do in 2021 – it was expected that crash frequency would increase across the state, including at intersections.

However, the outlier in that trend was the intersection at the #8 spot on our Top 20 list for 20201.

For the interchange at Schoolcraft Road and Telegraph Road in Redford Township, total crashes dipped from 108 in 2020 to 104 in 2021. Similarly, injuries dropped from 27 to 21 over the same period.

Trending Down

The most startling but certainly the most welcome news in all this is that 9 of the intersections in our Top 20 list of Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections for 2021 saw their total auto accident numbers fall from 2019 levels:

• 18 1/2 MILE RD @ VAN DYKE AVE, Sterling Heights, which is #3 for 2021, total crashes dropped 26% from 229 in 2019 to 168 in 2021.
• MARTIN PKWY @ N PONTIAC TRL, Commerce Township, which is #4 for 2021, auto accidents fell 13% from 161 in 2019 to 140 in 2021.
• ORCHARD LAKE RD @ 14 MILE RD, Farmington Hills, which is #6 for 2021, saw crashes lessen by 31% from 178 in 2019 to 122 in 2021.
• SCHOOLCRAFT RD @ TELEGRAPH RD, Redford Township, which is #8 for 2021, car accidents plummeted 50% from 210 in 2019 to 104 in 2021.
• TELEGRAPH RD @ 12 MILE RD, Southfield, which is #9 for 2021, automobile crashes scaled down by 25% from 128 in 2019 to 95 in 2021.
• 11 MILE RD @ GRATIOT AVE E, Roseville, which is #10 for 2021, total crashes dipped slightly from 94 in 2019 to 92 in 2021.
• SOUTHFIELD RD @ W 11 MILE RD, Lathrup Village, which is #11 for 2021, crashes dipped from 93 in 2019 to 91 in 2021.
• STATE ST @ ELLSWORTH RD, Ann Arbor, which is #15 for 2021, car accidents plunged 48% from 154 in 2019 to 79 in 2021.
• FORD RD @ LILLEY RD, Canton Township, which is #17 for 2021, automobile accidents dropped 6% from 80 in 2019 and 75 in 2021.

No. 1: 11 MILE RD/I 696 @ VAN DYKE AVE, Warren

In the #1 spot on our list of Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections for 2021 is an area where a heavily traveled stretch of road in Macomb County crosses over a busy suburban freeway.

Although total crashes at this interchange dropped slightly from 129 in 2019 to 124 in 2020, they increased to 173 in 2021 – up 34% from 2019.

This interchange which was #2 on our Top 20 list for 2020 with multiple traffic signals and merging traffic had 38 reported injuries in 2021, which was the third highest number of reported injuries at any intersection in the state that year.

No. 2: 10 MILE RD @ I 94, St. Clair Shores

Surprisingly, this intersection saw a 140% increase in auto accidents from 2020 to 2021, going from 70 in 2020 to 168 in 2021.

Although we do not have crash data for this intersection in 2019, we are confident that total crashes that year could not have been more than 78, otherwise it would have made our Top 20 list for 2019. The last entry on our list had 78 total crashes.

Significantly, this interchange had the second highest number of injuries in 2021 at 42, up from 12 in 2020.

No. 3: 18 1/2 MILE RD @ VAN DYKE AVE, Sterling Heights

After holding the #1 spot on our Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections lists for 2019 and 2020, this busy roundabout has dropped to #3 in 2021.

Even more significant than the two-position descension for this crossroads is the fact that total crashes in 2021 were 168, which was a 26% fall from 229 crashes in 2019.

Unfortunately, total crashes did increase by 37 from 131 in 2020.

To see a map of all existing and proposed roundabouts in the state visit the Michigan Roundabout Resource Center.

No. 4: MARTIN PKWY @ N PONTIAC TRL, Commerce Township

Well, for this busy roundabout which is also Oakland County’s largest roundabout, #4 seems to be the number. That is where this interchange landed on our Top 20 list for 2021 – and that is also where it ranked on our Top 20 Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections lists for 2020 and 2019.

Significantly, even though total crashes went up in 2021, they were still 13% lower in 2021 than they were in 2019.

In 2019, total crashes at this roundabout were 161. In 2020, that figure dipped to 110. Then, in 2021, total auto accidents went up to 140 – but 21 short of the 2019 total.

No. 5: US 131 @ WEALTHY ST, Grand Rapids

Unfortunately, car accidents are back on the rise at this busy area near downtown Grand Rapids.

In 2021, there 134 total car crashes at this intersection, which was a 17.5% jump from 114 in 2020. It is also a nearly 9% increase from 123 in 2019.

Unfortunately, injuries at this intersection have steadily increased from 18 in 2019 to 23 in 2020 and to 26 in 2021.

Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections Car Accident Data for other cities and counties

As we see from years of data analysis on Michigan car accidents, intersections with heavy traffic near freeways or retail businesses continually show up on these high crash lists.

To read blog posts on Michigan’s most dangerous intersections specific to counties and cities click here.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a Michigan car accident, contact us to learn about your legal rights. We also have six free books covering everything from Car Insurance to Repairing Car Damage. Visit this page to get your free book now.

Injured in a car accident at one of Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections? Contact a Michigan Auto Law attorney first a free consultation

If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries in a car accident at one of Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections and you have questions about your legal rights to pain and suffering compensation, economic damages and auto No-Fault insurance benefits, you can speak to an experienced car accident lawyer at (248) 353-7575 for a free consultation. There is absolutely no cost or obligation. You can also get help from an experienced auto accident attorney by visiting our contact page or chat feature on our website.