01:09
Here are some of the most dangerous roads in America
Car crashes can occur on any street, road or highway in America, but some are statistically more dangerous than others. Here’s a list compiled by AAA of some of the most dangerous.
Car crashes can occur on any street, road or highway in the U.S., but some are statistically more dangerous than others.
So, as nearly 50 million Americans prepare to head home after Thanksgiving, it's important to know where you should take extra precautions to ensure you arrive safely.
Here's a list compiled by AAA of some of the most dangerous roads in America.
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Million Dollar Highway, Colorado
FILE - Circular elevated view of Colorado State Highway 550, known as "Million Dollar Highway," threads its way from Silverton to Ouray.
(Joe Sohm / Visions of America / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
Colorado's Million Dollar Highway offers some of the most breathtaking views in the country, but it's not for the faint of heart. Winding through Red Mountain Pass in the San Juan Mountains, the Million Dollar Highway climbs 11,000 feet above sea level and has cliffs and hairpin turns.
The Million Dollar Highway is officially known as U.S. Route 550, but according to local legend, it got its name after a woman said she would have to be paid $1 million to drive it again.
AAA says when you mix in some of Colorado's harsh weather, the Million Dollar Highway is one of the most dangerous roads in America, according to a list compiled by USA Today.
U.S. Route 1, Florida
FILE - Aerial view of U.S. Route 1 Overseas Highway to Key West, Florida.
(Visions of America / Joseph Sohm / UCG / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
AAA says Florida doesn't have a ban on using a handheld cell phone while driving, and research looked into deaths on U.S. Route 1 between 2015 and 2019 and found Florida's section of the highway is one of the deadliest roads in America.
In total, 87 people died between those years.
The south end of the highway, known as the Overseas Highway, connects Miami to the Florida Keys and consists of miles of bridges many people find unnerving, according to AAA.
Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, Louisiana
FILE - Aerial view of Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.
(Jeffrey Greenberg / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana holds the Guinness World Record for the longest bridge over water at 24 miles long.
And when you get to the middle of the bridge, where there's no land in sight, many people get nervous – especially when the causeway becomes enveloped in fog. AAA says that sometimes the fog becomes so thick that local police must escort drivers across the bridge.
I-4, Florida
FILE - Tampa Bay-area residents and drivers fill the lanes on I-4 as they escape the high winds and floodwaters of Hurricane Ian with just a day left before the storm lands in Tampa, Florida, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022.
(Willie J. Allen Jr. / Orlando Sentinel / Tribune News Service / Getty Images)
AAA says Interstate 4 between Daytona Beach and Tampa, Florida, was once the deadliest highway in America, with roughly 1.41 deaths per mile on the highway.
According to AAA, this could be because the highway runs right through Orlando, which is a hotspot for tourists looking to visit Walt Disney World, Universal Studios or other attractions.
I-45, Texas
FILE - Houston, Texas, skyline at dusk and I-45 commuter traffic.
(Jeff Greenberg / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
Interstate 45 in Texas is extremely congested, and AAA says the Galveston-to-Dallas section of the highway was recently named the deadliest road in America by Budget Direct.
They found that I-45 averages about 56.5 fatal crashes for every 100 miles of highway, noting that heavy traffic and driver complacency are to blame.
I-10, Arizona
FILE - Vehicles travel on Interstate 10 during rush hour in Phoenix, Arizona, on Thursday, April 22, 2021.
(Courtney Pedroza / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
Interstate 10 runs from Jacksonville, Florida, to Santa Monica, California, but AAA says the stretch of highway running through Arizona is extremely dangerous.
This is because the highway cuts through the desert, which leads to drivers speeding and driving aggressively.
Nearly 500 people were killed on I-10 in Arizona over a six-year period.
I-15, Nevada and California
FILE - Solitary touring cyclist cycling along Interstate 15 through Mohave County in Arizona and heading for Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Marica van der Meer / Arterra / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
The 181-mile stretch of Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Los Angeles isn't dangerous because of road conditions – it's because of the drivers on the highway.
In fact, one study checked out data over a 15-year period and found it to be the deadliest road in America.
This is because drivers often speed while traveling through the Mojave Desert, and they're likely coming or going from the excitement in Las Vegas. That same study found about one-quarter of crashes on that section of roadway involved a drunk driver.
I-285, Georgia
FILE - Highway signs showing I-285 in Georgia.
(Flickr.com / dougtone / FOX Weather)
Interstate 285 in Georgia is called "The Perimeter" because the 64-mile loop encompasses the city of Atlanta. In addition, AAA says that the highway connects all the other major highways in the region, leading to congested roadways.
AAA says Vox calculated the road's fatality rate and found it was 3.5 deaths for every 10 miles, which, at the time of the study in 2015, was the country's deadliest interstate.
U.S. Route 17, South Carolina
FILE - Route 17 in South Carolina.
(Flickr.com / dougtone / FOX Weather)
Route 17 in South Carolina is one of the most scenic and breathtaking drives you can take in the Southeast, but it's also dangerous.
AAA says the road is filled with sharp turns and narrow lanes, and there's also a lot of wildlife that leads to a driving hazard when they cross the road.
One study named U.S. 17 in South Carolina one of the most dangerous roads in America during the summer.
James Dalton Highway, Alaska
FILE - View of Mount Sukakpak, 20 miles north of Coldfoot on the Dalton Highway.
(Jake Allen, Alaska DOT&PF / FOX Weather)
The James Dalton Highway was constructed in 1974 and stretches 414 miles through Alaska's wilderness from Fairbanks to Deadhorse.
The road is mainly used to transport oil and cuts through some of Alaska's most treacherous terrain.
You may have heard of this highway before, too. Driving on this road is so dangerous that it was the focus of the TV show "Ice Road Truckers."
In addition to the road cutting through forests, steep hills and the Yukon River, what makes this road so dangerous is its remoteness, according to AAA.
There are only three towns along the entire 414-mile route, which includes a 240-mile stretch without any gas stations or rest stops.
Highway 2, Montana
FILE - Highway 2 in the Rockies of Montana.
(Dukas / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
Montana's Highway 2 stretches east to west across the northern end of the state and maintains a 70-mph speed limit – even when winding through some mountainous regions.
That means you're far away from any help should you need it.
In 2021, the average EMS response time in Montana was about 45 minutes, and that number climbs when EMS workers need to travel on Highway 2, according to AAA.
Road to Hana, Hawaii
FILE - Beautiful scenic view of the lush greenery on the road to Hana in Maui, Hawaii.
(Michael Siluk / Education Images / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
You might think you're in paradise when you're in Hawaii and driving on Maui's Road to Hana, but you must be careful.
The 52-mile road connects Kahului to Hana on the eastern shoreline and offers beautiful views of mountaintops, forests and waves crashing on the shore.
But along the way, you'll also come across 620 turns and 59 narrow bridges, according to AAA. It can take drivers anywhere from 2 to 4 hours to make the journey, and Hawaii's tourism authority recommends drivers travel with a permitted tour company rather than making the drive themselves.
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FAQs
Where is the most dangerous road in America? ›
Pikes Peak Highway, Colorado
Pikes Peak Highway is one of the most dangerous roads in the U.S. With a length of just over 19 miles, it has an average road grade of 7%. This makes it one of the steepest and most treacherous roads in America.
California contains portions of three of the deadliest interstates in the U.S. — I-5, I-15 and I-80 — while Texas (I-20 and I-35) and Florida (I-75 and I-95) have segments of two of the deadliest interstates in the U.S.
What is the most dangerous road in North America? ›US Interstate 95 (East Coast, US)
According to NHTSA's (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) data, 95 is the most dangerous highway in the United States, with fatalities as a daily occurrence.
I-4, Florida
AAA says Interstate 4 between Daytona Beach and Tampa, Florida, was once the deadliest highway in America, with roughly 1.41 deaths per mile on the highway.
...
Most Dangerous States for Drivers Ranking.
| Ranking | State | Most Dangerous State for Drivers Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 45.85 |
| 2 | South Carolina | 41.8 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 39.1 |
| 4 | Missouri | 39 |
Left-lane crashes often result in more severe injuries and fatalities. The right lane has other factors that drivers need to be aware of. People are constantly merging to join the highway or they're trying to get over to exit.
What is the most dangerous death road? ›In 1995, the Inter-American Development Bank dubbed it as most dangerous road in the world. In July 1983, a bus fell off from the Yungas Road into a canyon, killing more than hundred passengers in one of the worst road accidents in Bolivia.
What is the most dangerous thing on the highway? ›One of the leading causes of accidents, hands down, is failure to yield the right of way. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that it's the top cause of accidents among drivers aged 70 and older, particularly on freeway merge ramps.
Why is it called the Death Road? ›The route was once a key road frequented by heavy trucks connecting Bolivia's capital La Paz to the country's Amazon rainforest. But its deadliness earned it the nickame the 'Death Road. ' Between 1999 and 2003 hundreds of Bolivians died trying to navigate it.
What is the highway of death in USA? ›“The Highway of Death” and “Suicide 6” in Connecticut
I-95 meanders along nearly 2,000 miles of land, stretching from southern Florida to northern Maine. In Connecticut, I-95 covers about 112 miles, and has earned a few nicknames over the years. One is “the Connecticut Turnpike.” Another is “the Highway of Death.”
What road has the most accidents? ›
The most dangerous road in the U.S. is Interstate 5 in California. From 2015 to 2019, 584 people were killed in 544 fatal crashes. That means that 107.4 people were killed for every 100 fatal accidents.
What is the scariest road to drive on? ›North Yungas Road, Or “The Road of Death” (Bolivia) Bolivia's “Death Road,” considered the world's most dangerous road, and it doesn't get its name for nothing! This single lane, dirt road, connecting La Paz to Coroico, clings precariously to the side of the Cordillera Oriental Mountains.
What is the safest road in America? ›The 43-mile Rhode Island section of I-95 has 39 crashes and 40 fatalities, giving it the lowest crash rate of 0.1.
What is the most dangerous road in the U.S. million dollar highway? ›FindMyPlate stated the Million Dollar Highway, more formally known as U.S. Highway 550, had been chosen as one of the most dangerous because of the high elevation (more than 11,000 feet at the summit) coupled with the number of hairpin turns without guardrails.
What is the U.S. number 1 road? ›U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,370 miles (3,810 km) from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making it the longest north–south road in the United States.
How many people have died on the Million Dollar Highway? ›The Million Dollar Highway was named the most dangerous road in America to drive. There have been over four hundred deaths on the highway since 1992, and there are about forty crashes per year on the route. There is an average of seven deaths per year and mainly during the dry season.
Which U.S. city has very aggressive drivers? ›Petersburg, Virginia has the highest aggressive driving rate in the nation. The city with the lowest rate of aggressive driving is The Villages, Florida, with 3.6% of drivers reporting aggressive citations on their record — 66% lower than the national average.
Which city in U.S. has the most aggressive drivers? ›Two of Arizona's cities, Phoenix and Tucson, have been named as the leading cities with the most aggressive drivers in the U.S.
What state has the meanest drivers? ›| Rank | State | Total Score Out of 100 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | 100 |
| 2 | Missouri | 99.62 |
| 3 | Colorado | 94.74 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 92.86 |
...
Here are the 50 riskiest U.S. cities for driving.
What is the most dangerous and highest road in the world? ›
Running from the high-altitude Andean city of La Paz to the subtropical Yungas valleys and the Amazonian lowlands beyond, the 64km Yungas Road involves a sharp 3,500m descent.
What city has the most dangerous traffic? ›- Population: 1.3 million.
- Fatality rate: 14.3 total fatalities per 100,000 residents.
- Likelihood of involvement in a traffic accident vs. national avg: 46.5%+
- Traffic fatalities involving alcohol: 42.2%
Around 200 to 300 people die on Bolivia's North Yungas Road every year. The North Yungas Road, nicknamed "Death Road," frequently earns the title of the world's most dangerous highway.
What is the famous Death Road? ›Carretera de los Yungas is, probably, the most famous road in the world. This gravel dirt track covers a 36.4km (22.61 miles) stretch between La Paz and Coroico, in the Yungas-area of the Bolivian department of La Paz.
What should you never do when driving? ›- tailgating. Driving too close to another driver is incredibly dangerous, especially at high speeds. ...
- failure to signal. ...
- texting. ...
- talking on the phone. ...
- speeding. ...
- getting angry. ...
- eating. ...
- putting on makeup.
Popularly known as the 'Death Road' in La Paz, Bolivia, the Yungas Highway is one of the world's most dangerous roads and currently a major tourist destination in the country.
Where does the Death Road start? ›The Death Road, or the Camino de la Muerte, is an old road just outside of La Paz that's cut into the side of the Andes mountains and runs from La Cumbre at an altitude 46000m of near the top, to the town of Coroico at an altitude of 1200m down in the Yungas Valley.
How long is Death Road? ›Til "Death" Do You Part
North Yungas road is known as "Death Road" for all of the reasons you'd guess. Driving up or down this 43-mile (69-kilometer) switchback is extremely perilous due to fog, landslides, cascades, and cliffs that drop 2,000 feet (610 meters) at every turn.
Three of those roads were in Florida, including one in Tampa Bay. The Florida roads with the deadliest traffic were U.S. Route 1, Interstate 4, and Interstate 95. The three highways stretch across multiple states and counties, but have big impacts on road safety in the Sunshine State.
Are there abandoned highways in the US? ›
The United States is full of abandoned highways and some of them are really stunning to visit. Abandoned 4 lane highways and tunnels are everywhere. There are ghost highways all around the country. These include highway tunnels and whole multilane segments of highways that have been bypassed.
How many road deaths in usa? ›Car accidents are a fact of life. In 2020, a total of 35,766 fatal car accidents occurred on roadways across the United States.
What state has most accidents? ›1. South Carolina. With a 12% at-fault accident rate, South Carolina drivers cause the most accidents in the country in 2022. Unlike Massachusetts, however, the Palmetto State also has the highest traffic fatality rate in the nation.
Who has the safest roads? ›According to the data we sourced from OurWorldInData and Gov.UK, Norway has officially earned the title of the safest place to drive in the world, with only 1.5 traffic-related fatalities per 100,000 people.
How many car deaths in the US each year? ›More than 46,000 people die in car crashes each year, according to Annual United States Road Crash Statistics (ASIRT). The U.S. traffic fatality rate is 12.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
What road is the loneliest road in America? ›In July of 1986, Life magazine dubbed Nevada's Highway 50 the “Loneliest Road in America.” The article claimed there were “no points of interest” along the route and “warned” readers not to risk traveling it unless they were confident of their “survival skills.” However, Nevada adventurers knew better then—and still do ...
What is the lowest drivable road in the USA? ›It's called Badwater Road (CA 178). Starting at Furnace Creek (on CA-190), the drive is 15.5 miles (24.94km) long. The road is steep in parts, hitting a 4% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps.
What is the least driven road in America? ›Dalton Highway, which spans 414 miles between Fairbanks and Deadhorse in Alaska. An interactive map allows exploration of the loneliest road in all 50 states.
What cities have the most aggressive drivers? ›With three cities on the naughty list, Florida was named "the most aggressive driving state overall." Jacksonville and Orlando took the second and fourth spots, respectively. Tampa-St. Petersburg came in at No.
Which state has best roads? ›| Rank | State | Length (km) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maharashtra | 50,151 |
| 2 | Karnataka | 20,774 |
| 3 | Gujarat | 18,480 |
| 4 | Tamil Nadu | 10,764 |
Who is the safest driver? ›
In sum, the danger to other vehicle occupants and pedestrians is very low. The data for injuries tell as similar story: drivers become safer as they grow older. That is, the safest drivers on the road are older drivers.
What is the scariest part of the Million Dollar Highway? ›Running north on the highway, the scariest part of the drive is encountered on the stretch of highway from the Red Mountain Pass through the Uncompahgre Gorge. Here, you'll encounter very narrow lanes, steep cliffs, and no guardrails.
Why are there no guardrails on Million Dollar Highway? ›The highway, which begins in Montrose, leads travelers south through four counties in Colorado. But the 20-mile section known as the Million Dollar Highway starts outside Ouray and traverses down Red Mountain Pass, ending in Silverton. Guard rails are absent in some areas as the road is too narrow to install them.
What is the ghost town on Million Dollar Highway? ›Ironton. Ironton is an easy-to-reach ghost town, just off Highway 550 (Million Dollar Highway), south of Ouray. Established in the 1800s, the last Ironton resident passed away in the mid-1900s. At one time Ironton had over 1000 residents, with a couple of trains running from nearby Silverton daily.
What is the deadliest city to drive? ›Memphis, Tenn., is the most dangerous for drivers
Memphis tops the list of riskiest cities for U.S. drivers, according to our analysis. It ranks No. 1 when it comes to fatal car accidents per capita and No. 1 for people involved in fatal crashes per capita.
FindMyPlate stated the Million Dollar Highway, more formally known as U.S. Highway 550, had been chosen as one of the most dangerous because of the high elevation (more than 11,000 feet at the summit) coupled with the number of hairpin turns without guardrails.
Which country has the deadliest road? ›Traffic Related Fatalities Are Surprisingly Common In The Dominican Republic. With a lead of 28.7 points, the Dominican Republic (DR) is the most dangerous country for driving, being named by WHO the worst for traffic accidents per inhabitant in the world.
Where is the deadliest place to sit in a car? ›According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), if you ride in the backseat of a car and do not wear a seatbelt, you are eight times more likely to be injured or killed in a collision than if you are wearing a seat belt.
What is the highest drivable road in the United States? ›Mount Evans Scenic Byway. The Mount Evans Scenic Byway, just 60 miles west of Denver, is the highest paved road in North America.
Why is 550 called the Million Dollar Highway? ›The Million Dollar Highway is the portion of U.S. 550 that goes from Ouray to Silverton, so called because it cost a million dollars to build all the way back in the 1880s when Otto Mears, Colorado's pioneer road-builder, built it as a toll road.