The roundabout at 18 1/2 Mile Road and Van Dyke Ave. in Sterling Heights is the most dangerous roundabout in Michigan, according to a report from Michigan Auto Law in Farmington Hills.
That intersection recorded 162 crashes and 12 Injuries in 2024. The number of accidents increased 20 percent from 135 in 2023. The figures are the latest available.
“This report is part of Michigan Auto Law’s ongoing public safety campaign to raise awareness and help drivers make safer decisions on Michigan roads,” says Steve Gursten, president and attorney at Michigan Auto Law. “By highlighting high-risk roundabouts, our lawyers aim to encourage motorists to use extra caution, refresh their knowledge of driving through roundabouts, and consider alternate routes when possible.”
While roundabouts often are promoted as safer alternatives to traditional intersections, research from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) shows that converting an intersection into a roundabout can significantly increase the total number of crashes, even though fatal and injury crashes may decrease.
This distinction is important, as drivers face a higher overall likelihood of being involved in a collision at roundabouts with elevated crash frequency.
Additionally, MDOT’s injury and fatality data is generally based on ambulance responses at crash scenes, which may not capture injuries that are not immediately apparent.
“People can have very serious injuries from crashes where an ambulance is not called to the scene,” says Gursten. “Police reports and ambulance responses can be misleading as they only tell us what people reported immediately afterwards at the scene. They do not – and cannot – accurately take into account all the people who go home and then later that day to the emergency room or who go to a family doctor the next day.”
The rankings are based on an analysis of official data from the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reporting Unit.
The rest of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Roundabouts in Michigan include:
Martin Parkway and N. Pontiac Trail in Commerce Township. Oakland Counties largest roundabout recorded 151 total crashes and nine injuries in 2024.
Orchard Lake Road and 14 Mile Road in Farmington Hills posted 109 crashes (down 17 percent from 2023) and five injuries.
State Road and W. Ellsworth Road in Ann Arbor. Crashes dropped to 85 in 2024 from 126 in 2023. Five injuries were reported in 2024.
Lee Road and Whitmore Lake Road in Green Oak Township, 80 crashes (down from 85 in 2023) and three injuries.
Oakley Park Road and Martin Parkway in Commerce Township, 69 crashes, six injuries.
Farmington Road and W. Maple Road in West Bloomfield Township, 64 crashes, seven injuries.
Sprinkel Road and Cork Street (north of I-94) in Kalamazoo, 49 crashes, 15 injuries.
Drake Road and W. Maple Road in West Bloomfield Township, 48 crashes, six injuries.
Remembrance Road NW and Wilson Avenue NW in Walker, 38 crashes, seven injuries.
Roundabouts constructed in 2024 or after are excluded due to insufficient full-year data.
For a complete list of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Roundabouts in Michigan and the Most Dangerous Intersections, visit MichiganAutoLaw.com. The site also offers free educational resources on what to do after a car accident and how to stay safe on Michigan roads.
