Most Dangerous Roads for Truckers

Mar 18, 2018 in Tips and Tricks, Safety

While truck driving is still considered one of the most dangerous occupations in the US, the fact is that the majority of professional truck drivers get through their entire career without being involved in any major accidents. The more skilled and safety conscious drivers are less likely to cause an accident but it's also a matter of avoiding accidents by staying alert at all times and knowing the dangerous routes to avoid whenever possible.

Every year the DOT (Department of Transportation) and other organizations post list of the most dangerous roads in the USA. So, after some careful research of various sources we concluded these are a few of America’s worst roads.

  1. I-10 in Arizona

The 150 mile stretch from Phoenix, Arizona to the California border is especially dangerous, accounting for an average of 85 deaths per year. That section has very little in the way of population, high traffic volume, lack of median barriers and is mostly deserted.

  1. I-95 in Connecticut

Running along the eastern border of the United States from Maine all the way down to Miami it also cuts through the most densely population centers in the nation. I-95 combined, totals 1,919.74 miles, yet the vast majority of accidents happen on an 8 mile stretch in the city of Norwalk.

  1. Dalton Highway in Alaska

It’s also known as Alaska Route 11. It is a 414 mile road up north in Alaska from Fairbanks to Deadhorse. This road winds through the mountains of the Brooks Range, where America’s lowest temperature was recorder (-80 degrees Fahrenheit). Also there’s only one fuel stop in Coldfoot.

  1. Highway 2 in Montana

A study from the University of Minnesota shows that Montana’s Highway 2 has the highest traffic death rate of any other region. Winter weather conditions including high winds, blizzards and black ice make it particularly dangerous and the emergency response time can be up to 80-minutes.

  1. Highway 550 in Colorado

Also known as The Million Dollar Highway. Highway 550 in Colorado has a 25 mile stretch through the mountains with gorgeous view, reaching heights of 11000 feet. But it is also very dangerous, because it lacks guardrails and shoulders.

  1. I-15 from Los Angeles to Las Vegas

This heavily traveled section (around 8 million people) of I-15 is a high-risk mix of truck drivers and Las Vegas tourist traffic. This stretch has a high rate of drunk driving accidents, and fatalities and injuries due to low seat belt use.

  1. California’s Route 138

This route runs through the Mojave Desert in Southern California. That’s way it is also called The Highway of Death. 56 people were killed and 875 were injured during a record number of accidents period. The twisty road average over 10 fatalities per year.

  1. I-26 in South Carolina

Known as South Carolina’s most dangerous road because of the 286 accidents and claimed 325 lives between 2000 and 2010. The accidents mostly occurred on certain stretches of the road with few guardrails and steep ditches.

These are the top rated dangerous roads, but you can be extra cautious travelling also through I-10 Alabama, I-95 Florida, HWY 75 Idaho, I-40 Arkansas, US-1 Florida, M 20 Michigan and I-70 Maryland.