Heavy-duty trucks are typically involved in approximately 500,000 crashes each year, with fatalities running between 3,000-5,000 in recent years. Although those numbers are concerning, truck driver safety has improved, with fatal accidents staying below the 5,000 mark since 2005.
Heightened awareness, enhanced training for upstart truckers, and access to highway safety data have proven invaluable in keeping truck drivers safe. For CDL holders still learning the ropes or those running new routes, it’s imperative to take determined safety measures when traveling America’s deadliest highways.
Where Are America’s Deadliest Roads?
A reported 25 states possess at least one of the 100 most notorious roads. The three most populated states have 43 of the infamous roads — Florida (17), Texas (15), and California (11) — in terms of reported fatal accident incidents from 2015-2019. California shouldered the highest death rate burden, despite having fewer of the most dangerous roads than Texas and Florida. The following rank among the riskiest places for truckers to haul freight.
- California, I-5:110 deaths.
- Florida, US-1: 87 deaths.
- California, US-101: 78 deaths.
- Texas, I-10: 59 deaths.
- Florida, I-95: 77 deaths.
- Texas, I-35: 84 deaths.
- Florida, US-41: 80 deaths.
- Texas, I-20: 39 deaths.
- Florida, I-75: 60 deaths.
- Florida, US-27: 64 deaths.
It’s essential for CDL professionals to understand these are not necessary truck-involved crashes. Many of the deaths are related to passenger drivers traveling at high rates of speed, acting recklessly, drinking alcohol, or failing to pay attention. The startling number of fatal accidents on these roads means truckers are being put in harm’s way.
Highest Rates Of Alcohol-Involved Fatalities
California’s Route 91 suffered the largest number of fatal accidents when alcohol was present at 42 percent. This fact means that truck drivers are likely to encounter drunk drivers who could cause a pile-up or rollover while intoxicated. Other notorious drunk driver roads include the following.
- Ohio, I-71: 38 percent of fatalities involved alcohol.
- Illinois, I-55: 33 percent of fatalities involved alcohol.
- South Carolina, US-76: 33 percent of fatalities involved alcohol.
- Washington, I-5: 33 percent of fatalities involved alcohol.
- Colorado, I-25: 32 percent of fatalities involved alcohol.
- Maryland, I-95: 32 percent of fatalities involved alcohol.
- Colorado, I-70: 32 percent of fatalities involved alcohol.
- Louisiana, I-10: 31 percent of fatalities involved alcohol.
- California, I-15: 30 percent of fatalities involved alcohol.
- Virginia, I-64: 30 percent of fatalities involved alcohol.
- California, SR-99: 30 percent of fatalities involved alcohol.
The number of alcohol-related fatalities on these roads ranks higher than the national average of 27 percent. One anomaly stems from the statistic that alcohol-involved crash fatalities on all of America’s 100 most dangerous roads stood at 22 percent, which remains below the national average. Although truckers are tasked with remaining alert at all times, heightened awareness about reckless drivers is warranted on the country’s most dangerous roads.
Sources: freightwaves.com. fleetowner.com
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