Opinions Vary on Which are Most Dangerous Highways
By Jim Greene
Published on August 13, 2010
Which are the most dangerous highways in America? That depends on who's answering the question and the criteria applied. A Fox News 10-worst list was based on fatalities in car and motorcycle accidents; the Web site Ask the Trucker, on the experiences of commercial truck drivers. USA Today said rural highways, in general, are dangerous, because people don't expect them to be.
According to the Fox News statistical analysis, eight of the 10 worst stretches of highway are in the West, with four in Southern California, two in Arizona, and one each in Nevada and Texas. Two dangerous stretches in Florida complete the list.
Three Interstates Share Danger Zones
Topping the Fox News list is I-15 through San Bernardino County, Calif. Farther north on the same freeway is another danger spot: Clark County, Nev., which includes Las Vegas. Three dangerous stretches are located on I-10: Riverside County, Calif., and Maricopa and Pinal Counties, Ariz. Two danger zones are located on I-5 in California, Los Angeles and San Diego Counties.
Moving east, Fox News listed I-45 in Harris County, Texas, which includes the Houston metropolitan area. The two dangerous stretches in Florida were I-95 in Palm Beach County and U.S.-1 in Miami-Dade County.
According to Ask the Trucker, Colorado Highway 550 is the most dangerous highway for commercial drivers, not because of car and motorcycle accidents, but because of its five S-curves, an abundance of recreational vehicle traffic, and migrating wildlife crossing the road in the fall. It also passes through an avalanche zone.
Trucker Site Lists Major Congestion Spots
Heavy traffic and congestion is the problem for most of the Ask the Trucker danger zones, including the Los Angeles Highway 101 to I-405 interchange, Atlanta's I-285 at I-85 interchange, the I-95 Cross-Bronx Expressway in New York, I-15 in Nevada, the Providence, R.I. I-95/I-195 interchange, and the Circle Interchange in Chicago.
Louisiana's stretch of I-10 is faulted by Ask the Trucker for unrepaired damage from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
A USA Today article does not mention specific routes, but says rural highways can be more dangerous than their urban counterparts because people are less cautious in wide open spaces. The article blames more impaired and distracted driving and cites higher numbers of single-vehicle accidents, blaming driver overconfidence.
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