Every San Antonio driver knows the frustration of navigating heavy traffic at I-10 and Loop 1604, Loop 1604 and U.S. 281, or I-35 and Loop 410. But a new study suggests these busy highway interchanges deserve attention for another reason: They lead the city in reported traffic crashes.
An October 2026 report in the San Antonio Express-News identified the city’s three most dangerous interchanges and uncovered some surprising patterns.
One finding is particularly concerning: The most common age among people involved in intersection crashes in San Antonio was just 19.
What causes so many crashes at these locations? How much of the problem can be attributed to drivers looking at their cell phones? And what happens when an injured person can prove that another driver was distracted?
Key Takeaways
- I-10 and Loop 1604 leads the rankings. The interchange recorded 97 crashes, followed closely by Loop 1604 and U.S. 281 with 95 and I-35 and Loop 410 with 89.
- In San Antonio, 19 was the most common age among people involved in intersection crashes.
- The study identified driver inattention as the most common contributing factor in San Antonio.
- Distracted driving evidence can be powerful at trial. Jurors may respond strongly when they learn that a serious injury was caused by someone who chose to look at a phone instead of watching the road.
The Three Most Dangerous Intersections in San Antonio
According to an analysis reported by the San Antonio Express-News on October 14, 2026, three major highway interchanges led San Antonio in reported crashes.
| Rank | Intersection | Reported Crashes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-10 and Loop 1604 | 97 |
| 2 | Loop 1604 and U.S. 281 | 95 |
| 3 | I-35 and Loop 410 | 89 |
1. I-10 and Loop 1604: 97 Crashes
The I-10 and Loop 1604 interchange serves one of San Antonio’s busiest commercial and residential corridors. Drivers traveling toward The Rim, La Cantera, the Medical Center, Boerne, and downtown regularly pass through this area.
The interchange has also been undergoing reconstruction as part of the Texas Department of Transportation’s Loop 1604 North Expansion Project.
Road construction naturally creates additional challenges. Temporary lane configurations, unfamiliar exits, narrowed lanes, and changing traffic patterns can require drivers to make quick decisions. A distracted driver may fail to notice traffic slowing ahead or may attempt a sudden lane change to avoid missing an exit.
However, construction alone does not establish the cause of any particular crash. Determining liability requires examining the circumstances and available evidence.
2. Loop 1604 and U.S. 281: 95 Crashes
Loop 1604 and U.S. 281 is only two crashes behind the top spot.
Drivers navigating this interchange must watch vehicles entering and exiting the freeway while maintaining an appropriate following distance. Heavy traffic can produce sudden slowdowns as well.
The conditions are ripe for rear-end collisions, sideswipe crashes, and multi-vehicle accidents.
3. I-35 and Loop 410: 89 Crashes
This busy corridor carries passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, and commuters traveling across northeast San Antonio. Large trucks present additional challenges because they need more distance to stop and have substantial blind spots.
When a passenger vehicle collides with a commercial truck, the substantial difference in vehicle size and weight can be particularly disastrous.
What is San Antonio’s Most Dangerous Traditional Street Intersection?
A separate Express-News analysis identified East Bitters Road at Heimers Road, north of the San Antonio International Airport, as the city’s most dangerous conventional street intersection in 2025.
There were nine reported crashes at that location resulting in 16 injuries, including one serious injury.
Why Are So Many Young People Involved in San Antonio Intersection Crashes?
One of the most interesting findings in the new study concerns the ages of people involved in intersection crashes.
In San Antonio, 19 was the single most common age among people involved in these collisions. Across the 11 Texas cities studied, the most common age ranged from 18 to 26.
Note that 19 is the most frequently occurring age, not the average age. It also does not establish that 19-year-old drivers caused the most crashes. Nevertheless, the finding raises an important question: Why are young people so prominently represented in intersection accidents?
One strong factor is that young drivers generally have fewer years of experience recognizing dangerous traffic situations. Experienced drivers often learn to anticipate that another vehicle might suddenly change lanes, traffic can stop without warning, or a driver approaching an intersection may fail to yield.
An inexperienced driver may recognize those dangers too late.
Could Cell Phone Use Be Another Explanation?
Cell phone distraction is another likely contributor to the broader problem of crashes involving young drivers.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), reading or sending a text message can take a driver’s eyes off the road for approximately five seconds. At 55 miles per hour, a driver can cover the rough distance of a football field in that time without looking at the road.
Imagine approaching stopped traffic on Loop 1604 while traveling at highway speed. If you look down at a text message for five seconds, you may travel hundreds of feet before noticing that vehicles ahead have stopped. By then, even emergency braking may be insufficient to avoid a collision.
The recent study did not establish how many San Antonio crashes involved cell phones. However, its findings are consistent with the broader concern about distracted driving.
According to TxDOT, distracted driving contributed to 86,384 crashes across Texas in 2025, resulting in 299 deaths and more than 2,400 serious injuries. TxDOT also reports that distracted-driving crashes were highest among young drivers.
Driver Inattention: A Leading Cause of San Antonio Crashes
Driver inattention is not just phone-based. It can take several forms:
- Texting or reading messages
- Looking at social media
- Checking navigation instructions
- Reaching for something inside the vehicle
- Adjusting music or other controls
- Talking with passengers
- Eating or drinking while driving
However, phone use is particularly dangerous because it can simultaneously divert a driver’s eyes, hands, and attention.
Texas Transportation Code Section 545.4251 generally prohibits reading, writing, or sending electronic messages while operating a moving vehicle, subject to statutory exceptions.
A driver can also be negligent without violating the texting statute. The central question in a personal injury case is whether the driver failed to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances and caused another person’s injuries.
Can Distracted Driving Lead to Larger Jury Verdicts?
At Crosley Law, we have handled serious injury cases involving distracted drivers, and our experience in the courtroom has taught us something important about how jurors react to this evidence.
Jurors might understand that people make mistakes. But they can react very differently when they learn that a driver was texting or scrolling through social media instead of watching the road.
Troubling evidence of distracted driving can influence how jurors evaluate claims involving pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, and other noneconomic damages. Jurors must assign a monetary value to these very real losses, even though there is no receipt or invoice establishing their worth.
In our experience, jurors who are particularly disturbed by a defendant’s distracted driving may be more receptive to the injured person’s evidence and return substantial compensatory verdicts, even when punitive damages are not requested.
How Insurance Companies Respond to Distracted Driving Claims
Insurance companies don’t necessarily accept responsibility simply because a driver admits to using a phone.
They might argue that the phone activity occurred before the accident or had no causal connection to the collision. They might also claim that the injured person was partly responsible because of speed, lane position, or failure to take evasive action.
Texas follows a system called comparative negligence. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 33, an injured person’s recovery is generally reduced by their percentage of responsibility. Someone found more than 50% responsible generally cannot recover damages.
Insurance companies may also challenge the seriousness of an injury, particularly when a collision causes a concussion, chronic neck or back pain, or symptoms that do not immediately appear on conventional imaging.
A strong case requires proof of three fundamental issues: who caused the crash, how the crash caused the injuries, and the full extent of the resulting losses.
RELATED:Who’s liable when you’re blamed for a San Antonio car accident?
What Should You Do After a Serious Intersection Crash?
If you are injured at a San Antonio intersection, your priority should be obtaining appropriate medical care. Once immediate safety needs are addressed, several additional steps can help protect your interests.
- Document the crash scene. Photograph vehicle positions, damage, traffic signals, lane markings, and any nearby construction or other environmental factors.
- Identify witnesses. Independent witnesses may be essential when drivers offer conflicting accounts.
- Document your injuries. Explain your symptoms accurately to medical providers and follow recommended treatment.
- Contact a San Antonio car accident lawyer. The sooner you speak with an experienced attorney, the sooner they can help preserve evidence and build your case. Tell your lawyer if you suspect the other driver was using their phone or otherwise distracted.
You should also be cautious about accepting an early insurance settlement before you understand your injuries and the likely need for future treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dangerous San Antonio Intersections
What is the most common cause of intersection crashes in San Antonio?
Driver inattention was the leading contributing factor identified in the recent study. Other common dangerous driving behaviors include speeding, unsafe lane changes, failure to yield, and following too closely.
Are young drivers more likely to cause intersection crashes?
The study found that 19 was the most common age among people involved in intersection crashes in San Antonio. However, that finding does not establish that 19-year-olds caused the most crashes or had the highest crash rate per mile driven.
Can I sue someone for phone use while driving in Texas?
Potentially, yes. If a driver’s negligent cell phone use causes a collision and resulting injuries, the injured person may have a claim for damages. The driver’s phone use and its connection to the crash and resulting injuries must be established.
Can cell phone use increase the value of a car accident case?
Evidence of distracted driving could strengthen proof of negligence and affect how a jury evaluates the defendant’s conduct and the injured person’s evidence. However, compensation must be based on legally recoverable, proven damages. There is no automatic increase simply because a cell phone was involved.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit after a San Antonio crash?
Most Texas personal injury claims are subject to a two-year statute of limitations. Some exceptions and shorter deadlines apply, so early investigation is important.
Car Crash? Call Crosley
At Crosley Law, we approach major injury cases with the understanding that the evidence may ultimately need to be presented to a jury.
Our car accident lawyers work with accident reconstruction professionals, medical specialists, and other experts when necessary to investigate collisions and document the full consequences of our clients’ injuries.
We have experience handling complicated cases involving traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, commercial vehicle crashes, and disputed medical evidence. Our founder, attorney Tom Crosley, has extensive jury trial experience and is nationally recognized for his work involving traumatic brain injuries.
If you or a family member suffered serious injuries in a crash at one of San Antonio’s dangerous intersections, Crosley Law can investigate what happened and help you understand your legal options.
Call 210-529-3000 or fill out our online contact form to request a free consultation. We represent injured people throughout San Antonio, Bexar County, and Texas.
The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.
