Whether it’s coming from a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park, a 76ers game at Wells Fargo, trying to find which cheesesteak tastes the best, or just wanting to have a fun night out downtown; driving throughout the City of Brotherly Love can be frustrating and at times, damaging experience. Car accidents in Philadelphia happen very often and it’s beneficial to be aware of the causes. To raise awareness for Philly drivers, be knowledgeable of these 5 causes of car accidents in Philadelphia and tips on how you can avoid them.
1) Complex and Dangerous Intersections
As much as Philadelphia is known as The City of Brotherly Love, they have a faint of heart for their intersections. The city is known for roads and intersections that are confusing, complex, and dangerous intersections which are difficult to navigate. According to Philadelphia car accident attorney Jeffrey Rosenbaum, they state that many car accidents happen from complex intersections. He highlights Roosevelt Boulevard, especially Grant Avenue and Red Lion Road, and Broad Street. These intersections and other dangerous ones have:
- Confusing traffic lights and stops.
- Higher speeds than normal.
- Wider lanes cause drivers to speed unnecessarily.
- Heavy traffic from cars, buses, and trucks.
- The high volume of vehicles merging in multiple directions.
With the complex nature of these intersections, there is an inevitable increase in red-light running, rear-end collisions, and aggressive lane changes, leading to greater car accidents.
2) Philadelphia’s Historical Road Layout
Philadelphia is one of the oldest cities in America. Its tight, narrow streets and corner blocks contribute to car accidents. Many cars have experienced their fair share of side swipes and bumps due to the inevitable congestion some streets face. Since some streets are outdated, it contributes to confusion amongst experienced and newer Philly drivers who are unfamiliar with the roads.
3) Horrible Road Conditions
Since Philadelphia is one of the more older and historical cities, the roads also show their age as well. Potholes and decaying roads are major contributors to accidents due to drivers constantly swerving out of the way to avoid them. The constant swerving from these drivers contributes to an increase in the likelihood of vehicle collisions. Ongoing construction also plays a role as well, as it causes numerous delays and traffic, increasing the likelihood of car accidents.
4) A Lot of Pedestrian Traffic

Although drivers from other cars, buses, trucks, and other vehicles contribute to car accidents in Philadelphia, another factor is the high volume of pedestrian traffic. With Philadelphia being a walkable city with many tourist areas, and business and commercial districts, pedestrians can often be unpredictable by unexpectedly crossing streets and crosswalks.
In many Philadelphia intersections, such as Boulevard for example, there is a lack of signage and signals for pedestrians, which have caused severe accidents and unfortunate fatalities now and in the past.
5) Aggressive Philly Motorcycle and Bicycle Rider Interactions
With Philadelphia’s complex and narrow street design being present, it affects individuals riding other vehicles as well. With very limited road space and the lack of bike lane infrastructure in the streets due to Philadelphia being an older city, it is more prone to car accidents. With overcrowded streets being another component, bicyclists and motorcycle riders have to be more aggressive when riding their vehicles. This often leads to more tense interactions with them and all other motor vehicle riders.
Tips on How to Avoid Philadelphia Car Accidents:

- Research and plan your drive on the streets: Watching videos, researching data and articles from trusted online resources, and reading online local and community forums and blogs about what to do and expect in specific Philadelphia intersections, roads, and streets are crucial. Researching and planning your drive is essential to limit all possibilities of car accidents.
- Use public transportation more often: Taking public transportation, such as the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), throughout Philadelphia will help drivers avoid getting into car collisions. Also, consider other ride-sharing options such as as well. From trains, subways, bus lines, and trolleys, Uber, Lyft, and taxis taking public transportation presents a more viable option for steering away any potential damage to your car.
- Take Alternate Routes: Try driving towards an alternate route with less traffic. Lesser traffic signifies a decrease in the likelihood of car accidents due to less congestion, less aggressive, frustrated drivers, and lane changes.
- Utilize Traffic and Vehicle Crash Reporting Tools: Search the internet for local or state crash tools to retrieve up-to-date data regarding accidents and crashes within Philadelphia and any other neighboring areas you are driving through.