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In the United States, automobile accidents can occur on any street, road, or highway, although some are statistically more risky than others.
Therefore, as over 50 million Americans prepare to return home following Thanksgiving, it is essential to know where you should take additional care to guarantee your safe arrival.
Here is a list prepared by AAA of the most hazardous roads in the United States.
Colorado Million Dollar Highway
Million Dollar Highway in Colorado provides some of the country’s most beautiful vistas, but it is not for the faint of heart. The Million Dollar Highway winds via Red Mountain Pass in the San Juan Mountains and ascends 11,000 feet above sea level with cliffs and hairpin curves.
The Million Dollar Highway is officially designated as US Route 550, but according to local lore, it was given its nickname after a woman stated that she would want $1 million to travel it again.
According to a list prepared by USA Today, the Million Dollar Highway is one of the most perilous highways in the United States, according to AAA. The Million Dollar Highway is located in Colorado, which is known for its extreme weather.
US Route 1, Florida
AAA reports that Florida does not prohibit the use of a handheld mobile phone while driving, and a study of deaths on US Route 1 between 2015 and 2019 revealed that Florida’s part of the highway is one of the worst in the country.
There were 87 deaths in those years.
AAA reports that the south end of the roadway, known as the Overseas Highway, connects Miami to the Florida Keys via kilometers of bridges that many travelers find unsettling.
US Route 1 consists of miles of bridges and links Miami to the Florida Keys.
At 24 miles in length, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana holds the Guinness World Record for the longest bridge over water.
And when you reach the center of the bridge, when there is no land in sight, many people get anxious, particularly if the bridge is shrouded in fog. According to AAA, sometimes the fog is so dense that local police must accompany automobiles across a bridge.
The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway contains a 24 mile-long bridge spanning the water.
I-4, Florida
According to AAA, Interstate 4 between Daytona Beach and Tampa, Florida, was previously the deadliest route in the United States, with around 1.41 deaths per mile.
According to AAA, this might be because the highway goes straight through Orlando, which is a magnet for travelers wishing to visit Walt Disney World, Universal Studios or other attractions.
There are approximately 1.41 fatalities per mile on I-4 in Florida.
The Galveston-to-Dallas segment of Interstate 45 in Texas is very crowded, and Budget Direct just ranked it the worst road in America.
They discovered that, on average, there are 56.5 fatal collisions every 100 miles of I-45 and attributed this to excessive traffic and driver complacency.
I-45 in Texas is extremely hazardous due to heavy traffic and driver complacency.
Interstate 10 stretches from Jacksonville, Florida to Santa Monica, California, but according to AAA, the Arizona section is highly hazardous.
This is because the highway passes through the desert, which causes cars to drive aggressively and at high speeds.
During a six-year span, about 500 individuals perished on I-10 in Arizona.
I-10 in Arizona traverses the desert, which causes cars to speed and drive aggressively.
The 181-mile stretch of Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Los Angeles is hazardous not because of road conditions, but because of the drivers.
In fact, a 15-year study determined it to be the most dangerous roadway in the United States.
This is because cars frequently speed through the Mojave Desert, likely on their way to or from the thrill of Las Vegas. According to the same survey, around one-fourth of crashes on that stretch of route involved a drunk driver.
Drivers typically speed when passing across the Mojave Desert along I-15.
The 64-mile ring of Interstate 285 in Georgia is known as “The Perimeter” because it includes the city of Atlanta. Moreover, according to AAA, the route connects all the other important highways in the region, resulting in clogged roads.
AAA reports that Vox evaluated the road’s mortality rate and found it to be 3.5 fatalities per 10 miles, making it the deadliest interstate at the time of the 2015 research.
The mortality rate on I-285 is roughly 3.5 fatalities per 10 miles.
South Carolina’s Route 17 is one of the most gorgeous and magnificent roads in the Southeast, but it is also deadly.
According to AAA, the route is full of steep twists and limited lanes, and there is an abundance of animals that creates a driving hazard when they cross the road.
According to one research, US 17 in South Carolina is one of the most hazardous highways in the United States during the summer.
US 17 in South Carolina is characterized by steep curves and small lanes.
From Fairbanks to Deadhorse, the James Dalton Highway was completed in 1974 and covers 414 kilometres across Alaska’s tundra.
The route is mostly used to transport oil and traverses some of the most dangerous terrain in Alaska.
You may have also heard of this road before. This route is so hazardous that it was the subject of the television series “Ice Road Truckers.”
AAA reports that in addition to passing through forests, steep slopes, and the Yukon River, this road’s isolation contributes to its hazard.
Along the whole 414-mile trip, there are just three towns, including a 240-mile stretch without any petrol stations or rest facilities.
There is a 240-mile section of the James Dalton Highway in Alaska without any petrol stations or rest breaks.
Getty Pictures
Route 2 in Montana
Highway 2 traverses the northern portion of Montana from east to west and maintains a speed restriction of 70 mph, even while twisting through hilly sections.
This indicates that you are distant from assistance should you want it.
AAA reports that in 2021, the average EMS response time in Montana was around 45 minutes, and that number increases when EMS staff must drive on Highway 2.
Even on curvy mountain roads, the speed limit on Highway 2 in Montana is 70 mph.
Dukas/Universal Images Group through Getty
Road to Hana, Hawaii
You may believe you’re in paradise when driving on Maui’s Road to Hana, but you must exercise caution.
The 52-mile drive that connects Kahului to Hana on the eastern coast provides breathtaking vistas of mountain peaks, woods, and crashing surf.
AAA reports that you will encounter 620 curves and 59 narrow bridges throughout the route. The journey can take between two and four hours, and Hawaii’s tourist bureau suggests that drivers travel with a licensed tour operator rather than driving alone.
The Hana Highway in Maui is full of tight curves and narrow bridges.
»Here are the most hazardous highways in the United States«