The Deadliest Road Stretches in Oklahoma

Key Takeaways About the Deadliest Road Stretches in Oklahoma Study

• The deadliest stretch in Oklahoma is a 10-mile section of I-40 in Oklahoma City (South Council Road → North MLK Avenue), with 26 fatal crashes and 27 deaths over five years.
• Of the eight deadliest road segments statewide: four are in Oklahoma City, two in Tulsa, one in Norman, and one in Stroud.
• In Tulsa, a stretch of I-244 (Broken Arrow Expressway → North Garnett Road) recorded 19 fatal crashes and 22 deaths, making it the state’s second-most dangerous segment.

Deadliest Road Stretches in Oklahoma Resources

• Most Dangerous Road Segments in Oklahoma Chart
• Interactive Map of Oklahoma’s Deadly Road Stretches
• Oklahoma’s Metro Areas Home to Deadliest Road Stretches
  • Deadly Road Stretches in Oklahoma City
  • Deadly Road Stretches in Tulsa
  • Fatal Stretches in Norman and Stroud
• Oklahoma City’s Vision Zero: A Roadmap to Safer Streets
  • What is the High Injury Network (HIN)?
  • Where Highways and Local Priority Corridors Meet
  • Targeted Safety Improvements
  • Why This Matters To You
• Methodology

While Oklahoma is considered a rural state, nearly 60 percent of the population resides in the metropolitan statistical areas of Oklahoma City and Tulsa. These population centers, along with the highways that connect them, experience high volumes of traffic on a daily basis. From routine commuting to long-haul travel, Oklahoma’s interstate system plays a vital role in how people and goods move through the state. Unfortunately, some of these roadways also see a disproportionate number of fatal vehicle crashes.

To determine which roadways see the most fatal crashes, we created a ranking of Oklahoma’s deadliest 10-mile stretches. We mapped fatal crash points from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the years 2019 to 2023. Using a rolling window approach, we highlighted the segments with the highest concentration of deadly crashes and continued the process across the state.

Read on to see which stretches ranked as the most fatal.

Most Dangerous Road Segments in Oklahoma

Interactive Map of Oklahoma’s Deadly Road Stretches

Use the interactive map below to view the 10-mile segments identified in our analysis. You can zoom in to see detailed routes or select from the menu to explore specific metro areas.

 

Oklahoma’s Metro Areas Home to Deadliest Road Stretches

Below is our ranking for the road stretches in Louisiana with the highest number of fatal crashes between 2019 and 2023. The table shows each stretch, it’s fatal crash and fatality count, along with the nearest city where the segment is located, and the county it resides in. For more details on approximate start and end points, a written overview of each stretch by the nearest city follows below.

Deadly Road Stretches in Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City is home to four of the eight most dangerous highway segments in the state. The deadliest is a 10-mile section of I-40, a major east-west highway and one of the most heavily traveled routes in Oklahoma. This segment stretches from South Council Road to North Martin Luther King Avenue and runs through the heart of the city. Along the way, it provides access to downtown, the state capitol, and key interchanges with I-44 and I-35. It recorded 26 fatal crashes and 27 deaths, more than any other segment in the state.

Another high-risk stretch in the city is on I-44, beginning at I-40 and ending near North Martin Luther King Avenue. This 10-mile segment runs through urban areas of Oklahoma City and saw 19 fatal crashes and 19 deaths. Notable landmarks along this route include the Oklahoma State Fair Park.

On the south side of the city, a segment of I-240 between I-44 and South Midwest Boulevard recorded 13 fatal crashes and 14 deaths. This stretch serves commuters headed to Tinker Air Force Base and the surrounding residential and industrial areas.

A second segment of I-40 also made the list, running from South Sunnylane Road to I-240. It recorded 13 fatal crashes and 13 deaths, ranking seventh overall.

Deadly Road Stretches in Tulsa

Tulsa appears twice in the top rankings, with I-244 and I-44 accounting for two of the most deadly road segments in Oklahoma. The deadlier of the two is a 10-mile stretch of I-244 that runs between the Broken Arrow Expressway and North Garnett Road, with 19 fatal crashes and 22 deaths. This corridor begins near downtown Tulsa and runs northeast, providing access to the Greenwood District, the University of Tulsa, and residential areas. It also connects drivers to Tulsa International Airport.

The second Tulsa segment is located along I-44 between East 41st Street South and West 71st Street South. With 15 fatal crashes over five years, this part of I-44 travels through midtown and south Tulsa.

Fatal Stretches in Norman and Stroud

Just south of Oklahoma City, Norman’s 10-mile stretch of I-35 between State Highway 9 and West Main Street recorded 17 fatal crashes and 17 deaths. This corridor connects the University of Oklahoma and Norman’s downtown with the Oklahoma City metro area, and frequently experiences heavy commuter traffic.

Stroud, a smaller city located along the I-44 corridor between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, also made the list. A 10-mile stretch of I-44 from N3503 Road to N360 Road saw 11 fatal crashes and 12 deaths. This rural segment passes through Lincoln County and includes portions of the Turner Turnpike, a major route connecting the state’s two largest cities.

Oklahoma City’s Vision Zero: A Roadmap to Safer Streets

While the data highlights where our roads are most dangerous today, Oklahoma City has officially committed to a future where these statistics no longer have to exist. In February 2025, Oklahoma City’s Vision Zero Action Plan was finalized. This plan is a data-driven strategy aimed at eliminating all traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2045.

What is the High Injury Network (HIN)?

The cornerstone of this plan is the identification of the High Injury Network (HIN), the small percentage of city streets that account for a disproportionately high number of fatal and life-altering crashes. By focusing resources on these specific “danger zones,” the city aims to make the greatest impact on public safety.

Seven key corridors were identified as immediate priorities for safety improvements, many of which intersect with the deadliest highway stretches listed above:

• NE 23rd Street (I-35 to N Bartell Rd)
• NW 23rd Street (N Ann Arbor Ave to N I-44)
• Mustang Road (Reno Ave to SW 59th St)
• SW 44th Street (I-44 to Johnston Dr)
• S Pennsylvania Ave (SW Grand to SW 59th St)
• NW 10th Street (County Line Rd to N Rockwell Ave)
• NW Expressway (N Council Rd to N Wilshire Blvd)

Where Highways and Local Priority Corridors Meet

Many of the deadliest highway stretches identified in our Rank #1 through #8 list are directly connected to the city’s top-priority safety zones. When high-speed interstate traffic spills onto local streets, the risk to drivers and pedestrians skyrockets.

To combat this, OKC has identified seven priority corridors for immediate engineering upgrades. Here is how they intersect with the state’s deadliest roads:

Deadliest Highway Stretch	Connected / Parallel Priority Corridor
I-40 (Rank #1 & #7)	NW 10th St (County Line to Rockwell) & Mustang Rd (Reno to SW 59th)
I-44 (Rank #3 & #8)	NW 23rd St (Ann Arbor to I-44) & SW 44th St (I-44 to Johnston Dr)
I-240 (Rank #6)	S Pennsylvania Ave (SW Grand to SW 59th St)
I-35 (Rank #4)	NE 23rd St (I-35 to N Bartell Rd)

Targeted Safety Improvements

The Vision Zero plan moves away from blaming accidents on human error alone. Instead, it uses a Safe System Approach that designs roads to be more forgiving. If you drive through these stretches, you can expect to see upcoming engineering changes such as:

• New Medians and Barriers: Installing physical dividers to prevent head-on collisions and illegal left turns.
• Pedestrian Refuge Islands: Creating safe spaces in the middle of wide roads like NW Expressway to protect those crossing on foot.
• Enhanced Lighting: Addressing the fact that many OKC fatalities occur on poorly lit stretches at night.
• Speed Management: Using roundabouts and narrowed lanes to naturally reduce vehicle speeds in high-risk areas.

Why This Matters for You

By integrating these improvements, Oklahoma City isn’t just fixing roads, they are working to ensure that a simple mistake behind the wheel doesn’t result in a tragedy. If you have been involved in an accident on one of these High Injury Networks, the city’s data-driven approach can be a vital piece of context for your case, highlighting known infrastructure risks that may have contributed to the crash.

Recent Fatal Crashes on Dangerous Oklahoma Road Stretches

While Oklahoma’s top dangerous road segments are well‑documented, several fatal crashes have occurred in the last 6 months on or near these highways. Here are the most notable:

I‑44 – Southwest Oklahoma City (I‑240 → S Midwest Blvd segment)

In July 2025, a fatal ejection crash occurred on I‑44 near SW 89th Street. One person died after a vehicle overturned and an occupant was ejected. This crash falls directly within the high‑risk I‑240 → S Midwest Blvd corridor.

I‑35 – Near Purcell (central OK corridor)

In July 2025, a semi‑truck crash on northbound I‑35 near Purcell was reported as fatal. While this location is south of the listed SH‑9 → W Main St segment in Norman, it is within the broader central I‑35 corridor known for high crash frequency.

I‑44 – Will Rogers Turnpike (Turnpike Worker Fatality)

In August 2025, an Oklahoma Turnpike Authority employee was killed while collecting debris on the Will Rogers Turnpike when struck by a semi. While not a vehicle occupant fatality, this incident underscores the hazards on Oklahoma highways outside the primary dangerous segments.

I‑44 – Grady County

In November 2025, a fatal crash on I‑44 occurred in Grady County, shutting down parts of the interstate overnight. Although this stretch is outside the officially listed top 10 dangerous segments, it highlights ongoing risks on the I‑44 corridor.

Methodology

This study uses crash data from 2019 to 2023 provided by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a dataset maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Fatal crashes were mapped across Oklahoma’s road network and analyzed in 10-mile segments to identify those with the highest concentrations of deadly crashes. The process was repeated to determine subsequent segments with similarly high crash counts. In the event of a tie, the total number of fatalities served as a tiebreaker.

Fair Use Statement

Feel free to cite or share this analysis. We just ask that you please include a link back to the original report to ensure others can review the complete dataset and methodology.