The United States has one of the best networks of highways in the world. Most of the longest highways in the world are located in the US, and they remain busy all year long. With a large number of vehicles crossing the highway, the risk of accidents also increases. Here we have listed 10 of the most dangerous highways in the United States, which have a high rate of fatal crashes.
These are the Most Dangerous Highways in the United States
1) US-1 — Florida, Maryland, and Maine
The US-1 is a major highway that stretches about 2,369 miles serving the East Coast of the US. The Florida section of US-1 is considered the most dangerous in the country in terms of fatalities. The highway that stretches 545 miles and runs through 13 counties in Central Florida has a fatal crash rate of 2.8 accidents per million vehicles, according to a study by a fleet management company Geotab.
Over the past decade, there have been nearly 1,079 fatalities on the highway. The route tops the list of most fatal crash rate, most crashes, and most fatalities in the US.
The section of the highway in Maryland and Maine also experiences a large number of crashes every year. There have been a total of 225 fatalities in the two regions in the past ten years.
2) I-95 — Connecticut, Idaho, North Carolina, and Rhode Island
I-95 is another major highway that runs from north to south on the East Coast of the US. The 1,919.31-mile road passes through 15 states. The part of the I-95 in Connecticut is considered the most deadly in terms of traffic accidents and fatalities. Over the past 10 years, nearly 164 fatalities have occurred on the highway, according to the study by Geotab. An average of 15 fatal crashes occurs on the section of the highway every year.
This section of the highway in Idaho and North Carolina has a high fatal crash rate of 1.1 and 1.0 respectively. Over the past decade, there have been a combined 303 fatalities in the two regions.
The highway section in Rhode Island also experiences a lot of crashes. There have been 39 fatal crashes in the area over the past 10 years. The main reason for the accidents is the frequent exit points that are the most than in any other interstate. The exit points are often less than a mile apart.
3) I-40 — New Mexico, Tennessee, Arizona, and California
I-40 is another major highway that runs through the south-central part of the US. The sections of the 2,559.25 miles highway in Tennessee, Arizona, and California are among the deadliest roads in the country. Nearly 43 fatal crashes occur every year on the I-4 in Tennessee, while 25 fatal crashes occur in Arizona. Nearly 34 accidents occur every year in New Mexico, with a fatal crash rate of 1.4. In New Mexico, there were nearly 395 crashes on the highway in the past 10 years.
The highway is one of the busiest in the US, due to which the chances of accidents are quite high. The stretch of highway that runs through the state is windy, chilly, and hilly. This, in addition to the high traffic volume, makes the highway one of the most dangerous roads in the country.
4) I-45 — Illinois
I-45 is situated entirely inside Texas. The 284.913 miles highway runs from Dallas to Galveston in Texas. The section of the highway near Illinois had the most crashes with more than 112 fatalities in the past ten years. Between 2011 and 2015, there were nearly 51 fatal crashes in the area. Drunk driving and inclement weather accounted for most of the crashes in the region.
5) I-17 — Arizona
I-17 is a relatively small stretch of highway located completely in Arizona. The 145.76 miles highway that runs from Flagstaff to Phoenix has a fatal crash rate of 0.82. Most of the fatalities occur in the state’s capital city of Phoenix.
6) I-65 — Alabama
I-65 runs cross-county from north to south. Some sections of the 887.30-mile highway in Alabama are considered quite dangerous. There have been nearly 389 fatalities in Alabama alone over the past decade. An average of 33 fatal crashes occurs every year in the state.
7) US 90 — Louisiana
The US 90 is an east-west major highway that stretches over 1633 miles. The section of the highway in Louisiana is considered one of the deadliest due to a high number of fatal crashes every year.
Over the past 10 years, nearly 295 fatalities have occurred in the area. The fatality rate is also relatively high at 1.2 per million vehicles. This is the same area were actress Jayne Mansfield was tragically killed in 1967.
8. US-83 — Texas
The US-83 is another major highway that spreads over 1,885 miles from the north to the south of the US. The section of the highway in Texas is considered deadly with a lot of fatalities occurring every year. There has been an average of nearly 26 fatalities over the past decade.
9) I-5 — Washington
I-5 is a 1,381.29-mile road that runs north to south on the eastern coast. The section in Washington, California, is one of the busiest with a lot of crashes occurring every year. Latest statistics show that there were nearly 258 fatalities in the area. Every year, 25 fatal crashes occur in the region.
10) I-80 — Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Nevada & Pennsylvania
I-80 is an east-west transcontinental freeway that stretches for 2899.59 miles. The sections of the highway in Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, and Nevada are considered one of the most deadly in the US. The fatal crash rate is particularly high in Wyoming with 1.4 crashes per million vehicles. Nearly 207 fatalities have occurred in the region in the past 10 years. In addition, the fatal crashes in Nebraska are also high with 235 fatalities in the same period.
The fatal crash rates in Iowa and Nevada section of I-80 are also high with 188 and 170 fatalities respectively occurring in the past decade. The highway section of Pennsylvania was the scene of 106 crashes with 115 fatalities in the previous 10 years.
Finding a Truck Accident Lawyer Across the United States
Semi trucks travel these dangerous highways every day, and if you or a family member was injured in a trucking accident you should connect with a semi truck accident attorney as soon as possible. A qualified accident lawyer will look at all the circumstances to prepare a strong case for you. Getting the help of an attorney will increase the chances of a successful lawsuit if you choose to pursue legal action.
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