Phoenix's Deadliest Intersections for Pedestrians

Phoenix has a pedestrian death crisis. Our city consistently ranks among the deadliest in the nation for people on foot. But the danger isn’t evenly distributed — it concentrates at specific intersections and along specific corridors.

The Pattern: Wide Roads, Fast Speeds, No Infrastructure

The intersections where pedestrians die share common characteristics: wide arterials (5-7 lanes), posted speeds of 45+ MPH, limited or no crosswalks, inadequate lighting, and long distances between safe crossing points. These are roads designed for cars, not people.

The Deadliest Corridors

Our analysis confirms that the West Phoenix corridor between 19th Avenue and 83rd Avenue is the epicenter of pedestrian fatalities. Indian School Road — the deadliest non-highway road in Arizona with 84 fatal crashes (per our analysis of NHTSA FARS data, 2015–2022) — runs through this corridor.

Other high-fatality pedestrian corridors include McDowell Road, Van Buren Street, Thomas Road through central and west Phoenix, and Broadway Road through south Phoenix and Mesa.

Nighttime Is the Killing Time

The vast majority of pedestrian fatalities in Phoenix occur at night — between 6 PM and 6 AM. Limited street lighting on arterials, dark clothing, and impaired drivers (both alcohol and fatigue) create a lethal combination. Our data shows that Friday and Saturday nights are the deadliest.

What This Means for Your Case

If you or a loved one was struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian, the location and conditions matter enormously for your case. A crash at a known dangerous intersection can support arguments that the city failed to provide adequate infrastructure — crosswalks, lighting, pedestrian islands, signal timing. This can create liability for the municipality in addition to the driver.

However, claims against government entities require a notice of claim within 180 days, and any lawsuit against a government entity must be filed within one year (A.R.S. § 12-821) — not the standard two-year statute of limitations. Time is critical.

The Law Badgers Fight for Pedestrian Victims

We’ve analyzed the crash data. We know which intersections are killing people. And we use that data to build stronger cases for pedestrian accident victims across Phoenix, Glendale, Mesa, and the entire Valley.

Call (833) DTF-IGHT for a free consultation.