Utah Crash Hot Spots: The Most Dangerous Roads and Intersections

Where Utah Traffic Deaths Happen

Preliminary numbers from UDOT and the Department of Public Safety show 264 people died on Utah roads in 2025, down from 277 in 2024 and the fewest since 2019. That’s the good news. Motorcyclist deaths rose 32% over 2024, and teen deaths nearly doubled, from 18 to 31.

In the same Highway Safety Office analysis, Utah County comes next with 12% of deaths, then Weber at 8%. Along the Wasatch Front, 59.3% of fatal crashes from 2018 to 2022 happened on state routes, according to the safety analysis behind the Wasatch Front Regional Council’s 2024 Safety Action Plan.

Utah’s High-Risk Corridors, Road by Road

A handful of Utah roads show up in crash coverage again and again. Here’s what makes each one tricky, with published figures wherever they exist.

1. Interstate 15: Ogden to Salt Lake City to St. George

I-15 is the spine of the state, running from the Idaho line through Ogden, Salt Lake City and Provo, then past Cedar City to St. George and the Arizona line. Along the Wasatch Front, stop-and-go traffic means a steady run of rear-end and lane-change crashes.

In a Southern Utah University analysis of UDOT crash data from 2021 to 2025, reported by FOX 13 in July 2026, I-15 in South Salt Lake ranked as the most dangerous stretch of road in the state. Point of the Mountain, where I-15 squeezes between Draper and Lehi, is another one: Utah Department of Public Safety figures reported by KSL show four deadly crashes there since 2021.

2. Interstate 80 (Parleys Canyon): Salt Lake City to Park City

East of Salt Lake City, I-80 climbs Parleys Canyon to Parleys Summit and drops into Summit County toward Park City. Commuters, ski traffic and heavy trucks share long grades, and one spinout can shut the canyon down.

In winter, snow squalls and black ice show up fast, and drivers who don’t slow down on the descent end up in the barrier. West of the city, I-80 heads across the west desert toward Wendover, and the same DPS figures show four deadly crashes since 2021 on a seven-mile stretch just east of the Salt Flats.

3. U.S. 6 (Spanish Fork Canyon): Spanish Fork to Price

U.S. 6 runs from Spanish Fork up Spanish Fork Canyon, over Soldier Summit and on to Price. Curves, two-lane stretches and heavy trucks have given it a reputation locals take seriously. KJZZ reported in February 2026 that the 42-mile canyon stretch had nearly 800 crashes from 2020 to the summer of 2025, and that more than 20 people were killed.

The worst of it sits near Thistle, where U.S. 89 splits off to the south. Using Utah Department of Public Safety figures, KSL reported in May 2026 that a four-mile span there has had seven deadly crashes since 2021, the largest concentration of road fatalities in Utah.

4. U.S. 89: State Street, Davis County and Ogden

In the Salt Lake Valley, U.S. 89 is State Street, running north from Draper through Sandy, Midvale, Murray, Millcreek and South Salt Lake into Salt Lake City. It’s wide and lined with driveways and bus stops, so angle crashes and pedestrian strikes are a constant worry. Downtown, U.S. 89 turns off State onto 400 South, crossing the TRAX tracks at Main Street, then heads north on 300 West. In the Provo and Orem area, a Mountainland Association of Governments analysis of 2018 to 2022 crashes flagged State Street at Lakeview Parkway and at Grandview Lane as hot spots for crashes causing severe injury or death.

North of Salt Lake, U.S. 89 runs along the foothills through Farmington, Fruit Heights and Layton, then turns into Washington Boulevard through Ogden. KSL-TV’s records request found 16 of Ogden’s 44 fatal crashes from January 2018 to June 2022 happened on Washington Boulevard.

5. Redwood Road (SR-68): Salt Lake City to the South Valley

Redwood Road carries SR-68 the whole way through Salt Lake County, from Salt Lake City’s west side through West Valley City, Taylorsville, West Jordan, South Jordan and Riverton to Bluffdale. It’s fast and wide, and the busy retail stretch from 4100 South to 5400 South sees plenty of rear-end and turning crashes.

On Salt Lake City’s west side, plenty of people cross Redwood on foot. A UDOT spokesperson told KSL in May 2026 that the Redwood Road and 500 North intersection alone had 22 crashes, four involving pedestrians, since January 2021.

6. Bangerter Highway (SR-154): Salt Lake City Airport to Draper

Bangerter Highway runs from the airport area in Salt Lake City south through West Valley City, Taylorsville, West Jordan, South Jordan and Riverton to I-15 in Draper. UDOT has replaced many of its signals with interchanges, but lights remain at spots like the 3100, 3500 and 4100 South intersections in West Valley.

That mix of freeway speeds and the occasional red light is where trouble starts, and the Southern Utah University analysis ranked Bangerter in West Valley City third in the state.

7. University Parkway (SR-265): Orem to Provo

University Parkway starts at Geneva Road in Orem, passes Utah Valley University and the I-15 interchange, crosses State Street and bends southeast across the Provo River to University Avenue in Provo. Students, UVX buses and mall traffic all compete for the same space.

The Mountainland Association of Governments’ safety action plan analysis of 2018 to 2022 crash data, presented to Provo’s transportation advisory committee in May 2024, named University Parkway at State Street a hot spot for crashes involving people walking and biking. Across the Provo and Orem area, the same analysis found that 10% of roads had 67% of the crashes that caused a severe injury or death.

8. Bluff Street (SR-18): St. George

Bluff Street carries SR-18 north from I-15 along the west side of downtown St. George, past St. George and Sunset boulevards, toward Snow Canyon. It’s a wide, busy arterial lined with shopping centers and side-street turns.

Wide roads are hard to cross on foot, and at Bluff Street and 500 North, two pedestrians, a brother and sister, were killed within days of each other in late 2023, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. A Dixie MPO planner said in 2023 that fatal and serious-injury crashes in Washington County were up 68% since 2019.

More High-Crash Locations Across Utah

These are the roads and intersections in Salt Lake City, Utah County, Ogden and St. George with published crash numbers.

Some of these roads are getting work. Salt Lake City won a $2.9 million federal Safe Streets for All grant for a 6.4-mile stretch of Redwood Road, with retimed signals, high-intensity crosswalk beacons and new sidewalks at six stop-controlled intersections. In Spanish Fork Canyon, UDOT finished a 1.7-mile median barrier near Diamond Fork Road and is widening U.S. 6 near Sheep Creek, a project of more than $53 million. It’s also rebuilding the Thistle junction so U.S. 89 passes under U.S. 6, with both jobs due in 2027.

How to Stay Safe on Utah’s Most Dangerous Roads

You don’t have to avoid these roads, just drive them knowing where the trouble is.

For Drivers:

1. Ease off the gas: Speed played a part in 31% of Utah traffic deaths in 2024. On I-15 and Bangerter, leave yourself room to stop.
2. Stay in your lane on canyon highways: On U.S. 6 and in Parleys Canyon, don’t pass on a curve or drift toward the center line.
3. Wait for a real gap on left turns: Left turns at intersections are one of the three most common serious crash types on the Wasatch Front. On State Street and Redwood Road, take the protected arrow when there is one.
4. Watch for motorcycles: Motorcyclist deaths jumped in 2025. Check twice before changing lanes or turning.
5. Never drive impaired: One in five Utah traffic deaths in 2024 involved an impaired driver. Line up a ride before you go out.

For Pedestrians:

1. Cross at signals: On wide roads like Redwood Road, State Street and Bluff Street, crossing mid-block leaves drivers almost no time to react.
2. Make eye contact: Don’t assume a turning driver has seen you. Wait until the car has stopped.
3. Be visible after dark: Wear something bright or carry a light on winter evenings.

For Cyclists:

1. Use bike lanes and trails: Where there’s no bike lane, stay as far right as is safe.
2. Be easy to see: Run lights front and rear, wear bright colors and use hand signals so drivers know where you’re headed.
3. Watch intersections closely: Turning drivers on roads like University Parkway often look only for cars. Never assume a driver will yield.

General Tips:

1. Know your route: If you commute through Point of the Mountain or on Bangerter, build in time for delays.
2. Check the weather before a canyon drive: Snow and ice can slow or close I-80 through Parleys and U.S. 6 over Soldier Summit with little warning.
3. Stay on top of alerts: The UDOT Traffic app or a navigation app will show crashes, closures and construction as they happen.

What to Do If You’re Injured in a Utah Car Accident

A bad crash on I-15, U.S. 6 or Redwood Road can leave you hurt and unsure what to do first. The first hours and days matter, for your health and your wallet.

1. Call 911. Even if nobody seems badly hurt, get police to the scene. They’ll write the official crash report, which is what insurers go by. If anyone is seriously injured, ask for an ambulance.
2. Get checked out. Concussions and internal injuries don’t always show up right away. Go to the ER or urgent care, and follow up with your own doctor in the days after.
3. Document the scene if you can. If it’s safe, photograph the vehicles, the damage and the license plates, plus skid marks, signs, weather and road conditions. Get witnesses’ names and phone numbers, and swap insurance information with the other driver without admitting fault.
4. Be careful with adjusters. The other driver’s insurance company may call soon after the crash. You can politely decline a recorded statement until you have your crash report and understand your options.
5. Keep everything. Medical records, bills, repair estimates, missed work, and every letter or email from an insurer.

Which agency has your report depends on where you crashed. The Utah Highway Patrol handles interstate crashes, and its reports come through the Department of Public Safety’s online portal, while city police departments and county sheriff’s offices handle city streets and county roads and release their own reports. Our Utah crash report guide walks through getting a copy from each.

Not sure which agency responded, or would rather skip the paperwork? We can get a copy of your report for you at no cost.

Utah Crash Hot Spot Questions

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Nearby states: Idaho crash hot spots · Wyoming crash hot spots · Nevada crash hot spots · Arizona crash hot spots

For the latest, crashes from around the state are posted in Utah accident news and our recent accident alerts.