Miami-Dade's Most Dangerous Intersections: Hooters, Highways, and Heavy Traffic

By Michael Miller  Miami New Times

Miami is infamous for its bad drivers. Climbing behind the wheel is a contact sport here, like running through Little Havana with an "I (heart) Fidel Castro" T-shirt on.

So, prompted by a reader complaint, we requested records on the county's most dangerous intersections. It seems the chances of getting into a wreck increase exponentially whenever you're around a major highway or within sight of a Hooters.

Keep reading for an interactive map of Miami's craziest, most cringe-inducing crossroads. We're staying the hell away from Kendall, by the way. You'll see why.

Last week we received a complaint from a New Times reader:

Today a little old man drove in the direction of oncoming traffic, making a lefthand turn from Dade Blvd onto 19th Street in Miami Beach. Luckily no cars where coming toward him at the time. But frightening things like this happen on a daily basis at this intersection. Why? Because for the past three years, the city has neglected to repaint the street markings that show drivers where to drive.

That got us thinking about the worst intersections elsewhere in town. We requested public records from the Miami-Dade Public Works Department, and this is what they sent us. It seems, however, that City of Miami and Miami Beach data is missing. We'll update if we get it.

As you can see, the most accident-prone areas are Kendall (6/10 worst intersections) and Doral (3/10). The two combined for 3,439 accidents from 2006 to 2008.

The numbers in parentheses are the numbers of reported accidents at the intersections over those three years, the latest available.

1. SW 137 Ave. / SW 152 St., Kendall (582 accidents): With nearly an accident per day at this intersection, stay the hell away.

2. SW 117 Ave. / SW 152 St.,  Kendall (477)

3. NW 107 Ave. / NW 12 St.,  Doral (422)

4. SW 137 Ave. / SW 56 St., Kendall (380)

5. SW 117 Ave. / SW 72 St., Kendall (378)

6. NW 67 Ave. / NW 167 St., Miami Lakes (371): This death zone is just off the Palmetto at Ludlam Road

7. NW 72 Ave. / NW 36 St., Doral (340): Maybe the Palmetto is cursed. This dangerous intersection is just off the same expressway at Doral Boulevard.

8. SW 137 Ave. / SW 88 St., Kendall (293)

9. NW 87 Ave. / NW 12 St., Doral (289): No surprise here: Mix equal parts mind-numbing freeway driving with a mirage-like Hooters sighting and you get a dangerously sudden rush of blood to the head (or elsewhere).

10. SW 107 Ave. / SW 72 St., Kendall (278)

Honorable Mention -- NW 27 Ave. / NW 79 St., Liberty City (276)

Good Luck Everybody!