Wyoming Crash Hot Spots: The Most Dangerous Roads and Intersections

Where Wyoming Traffic Deaths Happen

Wyoming has fewer people than any other state, but a lot of them die on its roads. NHTSA’s early estimate puts the 2025 toll at 124, up from 107 in 2024, and the state’s death rate per mile driven rose with it. Most of it happens far from town, on long two-lane highways and interstates full of out-of-state trucks, where winter, wind and wildlife are part of every drive.

Sweetwater County, which I-80 crosses from end to end, had 20 traffic deaths in 2023, the most of any Wyoming county in WYDOT’s report that year. The state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan puts lane and road departure crashes first on its list of emphasis areas, followed by seat belt use, impaired driving, speeding or driving too fast for conditions, curves and young drivers.

Wyoming’s High-Risk Corridors, Road by Road

In Wyoming the danger is mostly long stretches of highway, not single intersections. Here’s what makes each one tricky, with WYDOT and local figures where published.

1. Interstate 80: Cheyenne to Rawlins

I-80 is Wyoming’s main freight route, and the stretch from Cheyenne over Sherman Hill to Laramie, then on past Arlington and Elk Mountain to Rawlins, is where the wind does its worst. WYDOT counted 8,105 crashes on Wyoming’s part of I-80 from 2018 to 2022, about 12% of all crashes in the state, and 51% of them involved a commercial vehicle.

WYDOT’s blow-over data counted 672 wind blow-over crashes statewide from 2018 to 2022, 4 of them fatal, and maps I-80 blow-over zones near Elk Mountain, Arlington and Cooper Cove west of Laramie. When gusts hit 109 mph on March 12, 2026, WYDOT reported as many as 12 blow-over crashes on I-80 between Laramie and Arlington alone. In Laramie, the Snowy Range Road exit (WYO 130) is where interstate speed meets local traffic.

2. Interstate 80: Rawlins to Evanston

West of Rawlins, I-80 crosses the Red Desert to Rock Springs and Green River, runs through the tunnels at Green River and climbs on to Evanston and the Utah line. Semis make up about 46% of I-80 traffic, according to the same WYDOT figures, and WYDOT counts most I-80 traffic as out of state. Of the commercial vehicle crashes on I-80 from 2018 to 2022, 54% were tied to winter weather and 78% happened on ice, frost or snow.

Long gaps between towns mean fatigue, sudden whiteouts and long waits for help, and Sweetwater County’s 20 deaths in 2023 led the state.

3. Interstate 25: Cheyenne to Casper

I-25 meets I-80 on the west side of Cheyenne and runs north through Chugwater, Wheatland, Glendo and Douglas to Casper, then on to Buffalo. The wind is the danger here too. WYDOT’s blow-over maps flag Wyoming Hill just south of Cheyenne, the Bordeaux area near Wheatland and the stretch around Dwyer Junction, and in the March 2026 windstorm at least 15 blow-overs happened on I-25, nearly half of them between Cheyenne and the Colorado line.

In Casper, I-25 cuts right through town, and that’s where Wyoming’s crash counts get urban. Natrona County had 1,965 crashes in 2023, the most of any county, and the City of Casper had 1,663 of them, 5 fatal. The Poplar Street, Center Street and Wyoming Boulevard interchanges feed busy city traffic onto the interstate.

4. U.S. 287: Laramie to the Colorado Line

U.S. 287 is the two-lane road between Laramie and Fort Collins, long known as the “Highway of Death.” WYDOT data reported by Cowboy State Daily counted 545 crashes, including 11 fatal crashes that killed 13 people, on the 25 miles from Laramie to the state line from 2015 to 2024. WYDOT began widening it to five lanes between Huron Street and City Ranch Road on Laramie’s south edge in May 2026 to cut left-turn crashes, with two more phases toward Colorado tentatively planned around 2031.

Head-on crashes are the fear. University of Wyoming students, Colorado commuters and trucks share it, and winter wind and snow near Tie Siding can close it. The Colorado stretch has its own toll: three UW swimmers died in a crash there in February 2024.

5. Dell Range Boulevard: Yellowstone Road to College Drive, Cheyenne

Dell Range is north Cheyenne’s main shopping street, lined with big-box stores, Frontier Mall and restaurants, from Yellowstone Road east. The Cheyenne MPO’s 2022 crash report put four Dell Range intersections in the area’s top 10 signalized intersections for crashes: College Drive, Ridge Road, the Walmart access and Converse Avenue.

The crashes are what you’d expect: left turns across several lanes, rear-enders at the lights and drivers pulling out of parking lots, all worse on packed winter snow. The MPO’s newer safety plan has the citywide numbers, in the table below.

6. U.S. 89: The Y in Jackson to Alpine

In Jackson, WYO 22 begins at the intersection everyone calls the Y, where it meets U.S. 26/89/191 at West Broadway and heads west toward Wilson and Teton Pass. Summer traffic from Grand Teton and Yellowstone visitors piles up there, along with buses, bikes and people on foot.

South of Hoback Junction, U.S. 89 follows the Snake River Canyon to Alpine, narrow and curvy, with ice in the shady curves and elk and moose on the road. Across all of Teton County, 24 people were killed and 92 seriously injured on the roads from 2013 to 2022, the Town of Jackson said as it and the county started a safety action plan.

7. Interstate 90: Sheridan to Gillette

I-90 enters Wyoming from Montana near Ranchester, runs through Sheridan and Buffalo, then turns east across open country to Gillette, Moorcroft and Sundance. Around Gillette, it carries oil field and coal country traffic along with everyone else, and Campbell County had 11 traffic deaths in 2023.

Between Buffalo and Gillette there are few services and fewer windbreaks, so blowing snow can turn into a whiteout fast. Deer at dusk and black ice on bridges do the rest.

8. U.S. 20: Worland to Greybull

In the Big Horn Basin, U.S. 20 (running together with U.S. 16) follows the Bighorn River north from Worland through Manderson and Basin to Greybull. It’s a two-lane high desert highway whose long straightaways tempt drivers to pass, and that’s how head-on crashes happen.

Shoulders are narrow, farm equipment is common, and at night there’s little light between towns to show you the deer.

More High-Crash Locations Across Wyoming

Wyoming’s towns have their own trouble spots. These have published figures from the Cheyenne MPO, WYDOT and local plans.

Cheyenne and Rock Springs both have plans now. The Cheyenne MPO’s final Safety Action Plan, dated June 2026, aims to cut traffic deaths and serious injuries in half by 2040 and to zero by 2050. It also found that 29 intersections, less than 2% of those studied, account for 30% of severe intersection crashes. Rock Springs adopted its Vision Zero plan in December 2025, with speed management and safety audits planned for Elk Street and College Drive and fewer driveways and protected left turns on North Center and Elk streets.

How to Stay Safe on Wyoming’s Most Dangerous Roads

Wyoming roads reward drivers who plan ahead. A few habits go a long way, whether you’re driving, walking or riding a bike.

For Drivers:

1. Buckle up, every seat, every trip: More than half of the people killed in vehicles in Wyoming from 2021 to 2025 weren’t wearing a seat belt. On a rural rollover, that’s often the difference.
2. Drive for the conditions, not the limit: When drivers did something wrong in Wyoming winter crashes, it was most often driving too fast for conditions. On I-80 over Elk Mountain or I-25 on Wyoming Hill, slow down well below the posted speed in snow or ice.
3. Respect wind warnings: If you’re pulling a camper or driving a light, high-profile vehicle, check WYDOT’s wind restrictions before you head out on I-80 or I-25. Light trailers are the ones that tip.
4. Watch for wildlife at dawn and dusk: Nearly half of wildlife crashes happen between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. On U.S. 89, U.S. 20 and I-90, scan the shoulders and use high beams when no one is coming.
5. Pass only when you’re sure: On two-lane roads like U.S. 287 and U.S. 20, wait for a passing lane or a long, clear straightaway. Head-on crashes are the deadliest kind.

For Pedestrians:

1. Be visible after dark: Two-thirds of pedestrian deaths in Wyoming from 2020 to 2024 happened after dark. Wear something bright or reflective and carry a light.
2. Cross at signals on busy streets: On wide roads like Dell Range Boulevard in Cheyenne or CY Avenue in Casper, crossing mid-block leaves drivers little time to stop.

For Cyclists:

1. Wear a helmet: Most cyclists in Wyoming crashes from 2021 to 2025 weren’t wearing any safety gear.
2. Use paths where they exist: Jackson’s pathways and Cheyenne’s Greenway keep you off busy roads.
3. Watch intersections closely: More than half of cyclists in Wyoming crashes were hit at intersections. Never assume a turning driver sees you.

General Tips:

1. Check WYDOT’s 511 before every long drive: Closures on I-80 and I-25 can come with little warning, and you don’t want to be stuck between towns.
2. Pack for a long wait: From fall to spring, keep water, food, warm clothes and a blanket in the car.

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

A serious crash on I-80, U.S. 287 or a busy Cheyenne street can leave you hurt, far from home and unsure what to do first. The first hours and days matter.

1. Call 911. Even if nobody seems badly hurt, get law enforcement 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, damage and 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 and towing receipts, missed work, and every letter or email from an insurer.

Which agency has your report depends on where you crashed. Inside a town, like Cheyenne or Casper, city police take the report; outside town limits, it’s the Wyoming Highway Patrol or the county sheriff, and WYDOT in Cheyenne keeps copies from all of them. Our Wyoming crash report guide walks through getting a copy from each.

Don’t know which agency responded, or just don’t want to chase the paperwork? We can get a copy of your report for you at no cost.

Wyoming Crash Hot Spot Questions

More Wyoming Crash Guides

County accident news: Laramie County · Natrona County · Sweetwater County · Campbell County · Uinta County · Carbon County · Teton County · Fremont County

Nearby states: Colorado crash hot spots · Utah crash hot spots · Nebraska crash hot spots · Montana crash hot spots

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