Car accidents can occur due to many factors, including poor driving behavior, traffic controls, and road congestion. A higher volume of cars, bicyclists, and pedestrians usually increases the risk that a collision will occur. A lapse in concentration or a careless maneuver in a dense environment is much more likely to lead to a crash than one that happens on a rural road or in a quiet neighborhood.
Utah, known as the Crossroads of the West, sits at the intersection of three interstate highways. It is home to crowded urban centers, sprawling suburbs, and isolated rural towns. If you’ve been involved in a crash, a car accident lawyer in Salt Lake City can help you understand your rights and options for pursuing compensation.
In particular, most of the state’s crashes take place in the following cities:
Salt Lake City
As the most populous city in the state, it’s understandable that Salt Lake City sees the most car accidents. The downtown area is densely populated, and despite efforts to relieve traffic congestion, it still struggles with exceptionally crowded streets.
The official Utah Crash Summary dashboard reports that 4,423 of the state’s 51,750 urban collisions in 2024 occurred in Salt Lake City; in other words, over 8.5% of the state’s urban traffic accidents happened here.
Worse yet, the city accounted for 178 out of the state’s 998 pedestrian crashes in 2024, meaning 17.8% of Utah’s pedestrian accidents occurred on Salt Lake City’s roads.
West Valley City and West Jordan
West Valley City and West Jordan are the second and third most populous cities in Utah, respectively. However, they have radically different crash statistics. West Valley City had 3,257 traffic accidents in 2024, placing it second on the state’s list of cities with the most car accidents. Yet, despite having nearly similar population sizes, West Jordan only saw 1,589 traffic crashes.
St. George
Surprisingly, the city with the third most traffic accidents in 2024 was not on the Wasatch Front but instead St. George. The city has over 104,000 residents, making it the fifth-most populous city in the state. Moreover, it is both a vacation destination and a popular place for travelers to stop on their way to or from Las Vegas or Zion National Park.
In 2024, St. George accounted for 2,029 of Utah’s traffic accidents, including 67 motorcycle accidents and 39 bicycle accidents.
Orem and Provo
In 2024, Orem saw 1,785 traffic accidents, and Provo saw 1,708, making for a total of 3,493 traffic crashes. Although the combined population of Orem and Provo is roughly the same as Salt Lake City’s population, their roads are much less prone to traffic crashes. One reason might be that the two have less dense downtown areas than Salt Lake City.
Another explanation is that, despite being home to Brigham Young University, Provo has significantly fewer pedestrian accidents than Salt Lake City. In 2024, Orem and Provo only had 88 pedestrian accidents compared to 178 pedestrian accidents in the state capital.
Draper and Sandy
Draper and Sandy have developed from being suburbs of Salt Lake City into cities in their own right. However, that growth has brought greater traffic, which means more accidents. In 2024, Draper saw 1,251 traffic crashes and Sandy saw 1,833 traffic accidents.
Thus, these two cities at the south end of Salt Lake County combined had roughly the same number of traffic crashes as West Valley City.
Traffic Accidents in Utah
Despite its size and diversity, most traffic accidents in the state of Utah happen in large, densely populated cities. Salt Lake City, West Valley City, and St. George account for nearly 10,000 car accidents alone, along with thousands of injuries and dozens of deaths.
Nevertheless, staying safe throughout the Beehive State comes down to exercising proper road etiquette, no matter where you drive.
Contact our Personal Injury Lawyers at McMinn Personal Injury Lawyers for Legal Help With Your Case
If you get into a wreck in one of these cities or anywhere else in Utah, call McMinn Personal Injury Lawyers for help pursuing compensation from the party that caused it. Our Salt Lake City car accident lawyers can meet with you during a free consultation to learn more about your situation. Contact us today to schedule one.
If you’ve been injured, contact your nearest McMinn Personal Injury Lawyers location to schedule a free consultation today.
We serve in Austin, TX and Salt Lake City, UT.
McMinn Personal Injury Lawyers – Austin, TX Office
502 W 14th St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-0222
McMinn Personal Injury Lawyers – Salt Lake City, UT Office
650 S 500 W Suite 290, Salt Lake City, UT 84104
(385) 462-7630
