Fatal crash review team takes a deep look at dangerous intersections

A Marion County team will look into dangerous intersections as part of a new fatal crash study. The number of fatal pedestrian and bicycle accidents has risen on Indianapolis streets.

The city’s Fatal Crash Review Team was created in 2022. The volunteer team has representatives from the Department of Public Works, IMPD, the Department of Metropolitan Development and two community members.

Bicycling and community advocate Damon Richards has been on the team since it began.

“The folks at DPW are already doing this internally, but this team being public and its results being posted for anybody to see I think is very unique,” Richards said.

The team's duties were updated this year to include the study of areas with fatal crashes and serious injuries.

The first intersection to be examined is at 79th and Michigan Road on the northwest side. Five other high-crash intersections will be studied this year.

In a statement Indy DPW Director Brandon Herget said examining dangerous areas can shed light on the cause of crashes.

“By investigating areas with the highest incidence of serious crashes, as well as fatal crashes, we believe we can better utilize the data available to us to identify patterns of conflict and implement both short-term and long-term safety improvements as a result,” Herget said.

The team will use the Automated Reporting Information Exchange System, or ARIES, crash database to identify dangerous locations. An audit will then be conducted to understand issues and propose improvements.

Marion County has the highest number of fatal crashes per year in Indiana. Population, urban areas, larger vehicles and speed all play into increased fatal crashes.

Richards said public awareness and education can help. “We need to educate people who use the roads, everybody, motorists, commercial drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians, dog walkers, everybody needs to be conscious of this is a public good, we have to share it,” he said. “And we need to be respectful.”

Indianapolis recorded 122 fatal crash deaths in 2023.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the number of crashes from 2019 and 2023.