As the second-largest city in the Southern United States, San Antonio is a vibrant city popular with residents and visitors — over 20 million annual tourists visit the bustling urban center.
But San Antonio is also well-known for its congested roads and highways, making it a prevalent spot for auto accidents.
But what are the most dangerous roads in San Antonio? In this blog, we look at the raw data we compiled for our recent overview of 2023 Texas auto accident statistics and drill specifically into the Bexar County seat to pinpoint the most dangerous roads in San Antonio based on total accidents, along with which roads contributed to the most fatal accidents and what other factors were at play.
Patino Law Firm is the only place to find the most up-to-date Texas accident statistics without delving into the data yourself.
How We Sourced the Data
Our personal injury law firm sourced the latest Texas auto accident data using the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) Crash Records Information Service (C.R.I.S.).
Using the database, we built a query to filter crashes meeting the following criteria:
- Select crashes from a specific year: 2023
- City: San Antonio
- TxDOT Reportable Flag: True — TxDOT classifies an accident as reportable if it involves a motor vehicle in transport and:
- Occurs or originates on a traffic way;
- Results in injury to any person;
- Results in the death of any person; or
- Damages the property of any one person to the “apparent extent of $1,000”.
The state department uses these same criteria in compiling and publishing its annual Crash Facts document.
What Are the Most Dangerous Roads in San Antonio? Where Most Auto Accidents Occurred
There were 39,962 reportable crashes in San Antonio in 2023.
More accidents occurred on one road than any other: Interstate Highway 410 (I-410), totaling 3,449. Interstate Highway 10 (I-10) and Interstate Highway 35 (I-35) were close behind; each was the site of a little over three thousand accidents.
From here, the numbers drop off more dramatically, but it’s noteworthy that the top nine streets cited are highways. In the 10th spot is Culebra Road, a seven-lane-wide road crossing Loops 410 and 1604. This dangerous environment for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists alike runs from east to west, making sun blindness a prevalent issue at sunrise and sunset.
The Top 20 Most Dangerous Roads in San Antonio: Total Accidents
| Street Name (C.R.I.S. Reference) | Street Name (Full) | Crash Count |
|---|---|---|
| IH0410 | Interstate Highway 410 (I-410) | 3,449 |
| IH0010 | Interstate Highway 10 (I-10) | 3,061 |
| IH0035 | Interstate Highway 35 (I-35) | 3,036 |
| SL1604 | State Highway Loop No. 1604 | 1,844 |
| US0281 | U.S. Highway No. 0281 | 1,351 |
| US0090 | U.S. Highway No. 0090 | 911 |
| SL0013 | State Highway Loop No. 13 | 903 |
| SH0151 | State Highway No. 151 | 656 |
| IH0037 | Interstate Highway 37 (I-37) | 610 |
| CULEBRA RD | Culebra Road | 459 |
| BABCOCK RD | Babcock Road | 434 |
| FM2252 | Farm-to-Market Road 2252 | 431 |
| SS0421 | State Highway Spur No. 421 | 430 |
| S ZARZAMORA ST | South Zarzamora Street | 346 |
| FM0471 | Farm-to-Market Road 471 | 344 |
| SH0016 | State Highway No. 16 | 326 |
| HUEBNER RD | Huebner Road | 307 |
| FM2696 | Farm-to-Market Road 2696 | 295 |
| PA1502 | Principal Arterial State System No. 1502 | 280 |
| SL0345 | State Highway Loop No. 345 | 269 |
Intersections pose a particular danger to motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. The convergence of vehicles traveling in different directions creates an accident hotspot with potentially severe consequences.
It would be reasonable to assume that intersections would prove the most dangerous roads in San Antonio, but what does the data say?
The statistics show that of almost 40 thousand crashes occurring in San Antonio, most were not intersection-related. Non-intersection crashes accounted for 48% of the total, with intersection and intersection-related accidents totaling 41%:
| Intersection-Related | Crash Count |
|---|---|
| Non-Intersection | 19,290 |
| Intersection | 8,730 |
| Intersection-Related | 7,739 |
| Driveway Access | 4,203 |
However, it’s vital to consider the nature of these accidents. Almost 26 thousand crashes did not cause injury to those involved:
| Injury Severity | Crash Count |
|---|---|
| N – Not Injured | 25,704 |
| C – Possible Injury | 5,645 |
| B – Suspected Minor Injury | 5,378 |
| 99 – Unknown | 2,539 |
| A – Suspected Serious Injury | 536 |
| K – Fatal Injury | 160 |
When we look only at accidents resulting in possible injuries, suspected injuries (minor and severe), and fatalities, the data paints a slightly different picture, with intersection and intersection-related accidents totaling 5,478 — representing 47% of all San Antonio accidents resulting in injury.
| Intersection-Related | Crash Count |
|---|---|
| Non-Intersection | 4,885 |
| Intersection | 3,155 |
| Intersection-Related | 2,323 |
| Driveway Access | 1,356 |
| Total: | 11,719 |
Top 20 Most Dangerous Roads in San Antonio: Accidents Resulting in Injury
The top 10 list of dangerous roads for accidents resulting in possible and suspected injuries (excluding accidents reporting no injuries or the injury severity was unknown) is mostly unchanged, although I-35, State Loop 13, and Culebra Road rank higher.
Babcock Road also broke into the top 10. This corridor is not without issues, with its changing number of lanes and lane drops potentially catching drivers off guard. Pedestrians are also at risk. Many sidewalks are inconsistent, narrow, or in poor condition, leaving pedestrians to traverse the gaps.
| Street Name (C.R.I.S. Reference) | Street Name (Full) | Crash Count |
|---|---|---|
| IH0410 | Interstate Highway 410 (I-410) | 941 |
| IH0035 | Interstate Highway 35 (I-35) | 840 |
| IH0010 | Interstate Highway 10 (I-10) | 829 |
| SL1604 | State Highway Loop No. 1604 | 534 |
| US0281 | U.S. Highway No. 0281 | 418 |
| SL0013 | State Highway Loop No. 13 | 295 |
| US0090 | U.S. Highway No. 0090 | 246 |
| SH0151 | State Highway No. 151 | 225 |
| CULEBRA RD | Culebra Road | 176 |
| BABCOCK RD | Babcock Road | 165 |
| IH0037 | Interstate Highway 37 (I-37) | 163 |
| FM2252 | Farm-to-Market Road 2252 | 158 |
| SS0421 | State Highway Spur No. 421 | 157 |
| FM0471 | Farm-to-Market Road 471 | 141 |
| S ZARZAMORA ST | South Zarzamora Street | 132 |
| SH0016 | State Highway No. 16 | 120 |
| HUEBNER RD | Huebner Road | 118 |
| FM2696 | Farm-to-Market Road 2696 | 104 |
| W COMMERCE ST | West Commerce Street | 99 |
| WURZBACH RD | Wurzbach Road | 90 |
When looking at fatal crashes, seeing I-410, I-35, and I-10 at the top of the list is unsurprising, given the overall number of crashes on these roads and the dangerous nature of interstate highways.
Culebra Road and McMullen Drive stand out as the most dangerous non-freeway roads, contributing six and five fatal crashes, respectively.
| Street Name (C.R.I.S. Reference) | Street Name (Full) | Crash Count |
|---|---|---|
| IH0410 | Interstate Highway 410 (I-410) | 19 |
| IH0035 | Interstate Highway 35 (I-35) | 15 |
| IH0010 | Interstate Highway 10 (I-10) | 13 |
| US0090 | U.S. Highway No. 0090 | 9 |
| CULEBRA RD | Culebra Road | 6 |
| S GENERAL MCMULLEN DR | South General McMullen Drive | 5 |
| SL0013 | State Highway Loop No. 13 | 5 |
| SS0536 | State Highway Spur No. 536 | 5 |
| IH0037 | Interstate Highway 37 (I-37) | 4 |
| S FLORES ST | South Flores Street | 4 |
| US0281 | U.S. Highway No. 0281 | 4 |
| FREDERICKSBURG RD | Fredericksburg Road | 3 |
| PA1502 | Principal Arterial State System No. 1502 | 2 |
| PLEASANTON RD | Pleasanton Road | 2 |
| S US HIGHWAY 181 | South U.S. Highway 181 | 2 |
| S ZARZAMORA ST | South Zarzamora Street | 2 |
| SS0421 | State Highway Spur No. 421 | 2 |
| VANCE JACKSON RD | Vance Jackson Road | 2 |
| W MILITARY DR | West Military Drive | 2 |
An additional 54 streets and highways were the site of a single fatal crash, including New Sulphur Springs Road, Thousand Oaks Drive, and South New Braunfels Avenue, which feature below in our overview of the most dangerous accidents in San Antonio based on injury count.
The Most Dangerous Accidents in San Antonio
We also gathered data on the five most dangerous accidents in San Antonio based on the total injury count.
Each crash report paints a picture of when the accidents occurred, who was involved, and what factors contributed. We do not have the narrative reports written by law enforcement or statements from witnesses or those involved, but we can use the data we have to piece together how these accidents likely happened.
Our reason for exploring these accidents is simple: to cast light on the devastating consequences of San Antonio auto accidents.
When diving into statistics, it’s possible to lose sight of the tangible impact of these accidents on victims and their families. Data and yearly comparisons reduce victims to numbers.
As a personal injury law firm that prides itself on treating injury survivors as people, not a case number or a percentage of a settlement or judgment, we feel duty-bound to expand on these mere figures.
However, getting too “into the weeds” risks trivializing the seriousness of these accidents and the conduct of those at fault by sensationalizing them. In recapping these accidents, we strive to walk the thin line and illustrate the danger of driving in San Antonio, the many ways an accident can happen, the heartbreaking outcomes that result, and the complexity of determining what happened and who might be responsible.
Dangerous Road 1: Interstate Highway 410
An accident on I-410 on a Saturday evening in February proved the most dangerous in San Antonio in 2023. 15 people were injured in the crash involving 10 units (or vehicles), while two escaped without injury.
The accident occurred when the inattentive driver of an unknown vehicle changed lanes unsafely. The driver did not strike any objects or pedestrians, but the injury severity is unknown.
The report cites “slowing/stopping for traffic” as an “other factor” contributing to the accident; we can assume that the lead car reacted to avoid colliding with the driver changing lanes, triggering a dangerous chain reaction resulting in 10 other vehicles sustaining rear-end damage.
Most alarmingly, this crash injured five children — three aged seven to eleven in a Honda SUV and two aged four and seven in a blue Dodge pickup. Fortunately, the injuries sustained by all 15 individuals hurt in the accident were minor. Still, this crash illustrates the massive impact a single action can have.
Dangerous Road 2: West Martin Street
The second-most severe accident in San Antonio in 2023 happened around half-past one on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 31st. A bus and Dodge Caliber traveling east on West Martin Street, just past the railroad crossing, collided when the bus driver — cited as not paying attention — improperly took a wide right turn. The bus suffered minor left-rear-end damage — unsurprising given the bus’s considerable weight and size — while the Dodge sustained severe right-side damage. Fortunately, the 80-year-old Caliber driver had only suspected minor injuries. The bus driver and 15 passengers were uninjured, but 10 passengers — whose ages ranged from 18 to 53 — suffered minor injuries.
Bus accidents can be among the most devastating types of auto accidents because of the number of passengers that might be onboard. These vehicles typically sustain reduced damage because of their size, which inevitably means smaller vehicles come off far worse. When a bus is in a high-speed crash or struck by an even heavier vehicle, like a semi-truck, bus passengers are unprotected and might sustain severe or even fatal injuries.
Dangerous Road 3: North Flores Street
The following three crashes on San Antonio roads we’re exploring are tied on injury count, with 10 people hurt.
The first occurred on North Flores Street on Saturday, June 17th. It’s also the first in our list to cause suspected serious injuries, making New Flores Street one of San Antonio’s more dangerous roads.
The crash happened at the intersection of West Travis Street when the unlicensed driver of a Buick Lacrosse disregarded the stop sign and crashed into a Ford Explorer SUV traveling north.
The 23-year-old Buick driver was uninjured, while another two passengers suffered suspected minor injuries.
The Ford SUV sustained far worse damage, with the crash report noting a damage severity of 5 (out of 7). The driver, two adult passengers, and three children — aged 16, 11, and 12 — suffered suspected minor injuries. The final child, just nine years old, had a suspected serious injury.
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Accidents are rarely as straightforward as this, involving just two vehicles with one party — the Buick driver — clearly at fault. The family who suffered minor and severe injuries would be well within their rights to pursue compensation from the negligent driver.
Dangerous Road 4: South New Braunfels Avenue
The fourth street in our list of the most dangerous roads in San Antonio is South New Braunfels Avenue. This crash, happening during the morning of Saturday, February 4th, at the intersection of Rigsby Avenue, caused suspected minor injuries to three people and possible injuries to seven.
This event is the perfect example of how accidents are often not solely the fault of one person or party. The crash report cites that both drivers were not paying attention, resulting in a head-on collision. The first driver, traveling east in a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV, sustained minor injuries, as did a 75-year-old passenger. It is unknown whether the second passenger was hurt.
The driver of the second vehicle — a GMC Yukon — suffered a possible injury and was issued a citation for driving without a license. Also in the SUV were seven children, aged one to fourteen. Six sustained possible injuries, with the oldest sustaining a suspected minor injury.
That both drivers were distracted makes liability more complex. Both drivers would likely argue the other caused the crash, although the Chevy driver could reasonably claim the unlicensed driver shouldn’t have been on the road at all.
Whatever the case, we can at least take some comfort from the fact that the accident was not more severe. Both vehicles sustained concentrated front-end impact — and similar head-on accidents often prove fatal.
Dangerous Road 5: New Sulphur Springs Road
This next accident, which happened on Sunday, May 28th on New Sulphur Springs Road, highlights the danger of drunk driving.
The 18-year-old unlicensed driver of a GMC Yukon SUV traveling west through the rural San Antonio neighborhood crashed into a Toyota Sequoia while under the influence of alcohol. The driver tested positive for intoxication with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.145 — almost twice the legal limit of 0.08. The main contributing factor cited was “failed to drive in a single lane”, indicating the driver was drifting across lanes and moved across the center line into the path of the Toyota, which was traveling in the opposite direction.
Both vehicles were severely damaged — the crash report assigns a damage rating of 7, the highest rating available to law enforcement.
The Yukon driver — the sole occupant of the vehicle — sustained suspected severe injuries. There were 10 occupants of the Toyota Sequoia — five adults and five children — and all but one suffered suspected injuries. The driver and a 63-year-old passenger were seriously injured, while a third adult had minor injuries. The fourth occupant suffered a possible injury, and the final adult was not hurt. All five children, aged four to sixteen, suffered possible injuries.
Remarkably — given the high damage rating — only three of the 11 people involved in the crash sustained suspected severe injuries. Were this a head-on impact with both vehicles suffering concentrated front-end damage — instead of front-left angular damage — the outcome could have been more catastrophic.
The Most Deadly Crash in San Antonio in 2023: Thousand Oaks Drive
Now, we come to the deadliest crash in San Antonio in 2023, a heartbreaking accident that illustrates the danger of San Antonio roads and the devastating consequences of negligent behavior.
This crash on the evening of Sunday, January 8th, claimed three of the 164 lives tragically taken on San Antonio roads last year.
At 20 past 10 at night at the intersection of Thousand Oaks Drive and Alamo Blanco Street, the driver of a Nissan Sentra failed to yield the right of way, causing a Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling northwest to T-bone the vehicle. Fortunately, the airbags deployed and did their job, and the 18-year-old driver and the front passenger were not injured. A third passenger in the back of the Jeep sustained possible injuries.
Sadly, we cannot say the same for the occupants of the Sentra. The side impact caused the car to roll over and strike a utility pole, knocking down the pole and several power lines. The impact proved fatal, with all three occupants — the male driver, a female adult passenger, and a baby boy less than a year old — found dead on arrival.
Perhaps the most devastating fact about this accident is that it could have been avoided had the Nissan driver yielded the right of way. It’s a sobering reminder of how dangerous San Antonio roads — especially intersections — are and how quickly a situation can turn deadly.
Whether a congested highway, a rural road, or a busy intersection, any San Antonio road can be dangerous.
While the statistics show accidents are more likely to happen on some roads than others, these crashes illustrate that disaster can strike at any moment. As motorists, we must follow the law, but we should never assume that other drivers are doing the same.
If you’ve been injured in an accident or tragically lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, whether they were speeding, drunk driving, driving while distracted or tired, or executing a turn when you had the right of way, you could be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage, and the long-term impact of your injury or your loved one’s death on your life.
At Patino Law Firm, we represent those injured in accidents that weren’t their fault to recover the compensation and justice they deserve. We offer a free, no-obligation case review so you can find out where you stand, and you won’t pay legal fees until we win your case.
To get started and see if you have a claim, contact our San Antonio personal injury lawyer by calling 855-LAW-NINJA, submitting a contact form, or visiting our Alamo Towers office in San Antonio. We also represent clients in the surrounding areas of Uvalde, Converse, Schertz, and more, as well as those injured in Edinburg, Hidalgo, Mission, Mercedes, and all across the Rio Grande Valley from our McAllen office.
