America's most dangerous roads

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The riskiest road trips in THE USA have been revealed by the American Automobile Association, and they’re not all the hair-raising hairpin-strewn mountain roads you might imagine.

AAA Northeast looked at fatality rates across the States to devise its dirty dozen list and many of the roads are surprisingly straight. Distracted driving is one of the biggest dangers on America’s roads and when there’s not much to keep the driver entertained, reaching for a phone is all-too-common. The AA also points to roads where weather, heavy traffic, speeding and reckless drivers all contribute to some sobering statistics.

If you’re planning on road tripping any of these routes, buckle up, pay attention, and be safe.

Route 1, Florida

Florida is one of the few states that doesn’t yet have a full ban on using handheld devices while you drive. So while the bridges and causeways that skim the Keys are stunningly straight, drivers on the Overseas Highway are prone to losing attention and control of their cars. Between 2015 and 2019 87 people died on Route 1.

Route 17, South Carolina

This scenic stretch through South Carolina throws sharp curves and narrow lanes at unsuspecting tourists and is at it most treacherous in the summer when traffic numbers rise. In the summer months between 2015 and 2017 82 deaths were reported on Route 17.

I-4, Florida

The I-4 between Daytona Beach and Tampa was once known as the deadliest highway in America with an average of 1.41 fatalities for each of its 132 miles. Again you can blame the tourists in their rental cars dashing between theme parks for these frightening figures.

I-10, Arizona

The I-10 cuts across the USA from Santa Monica, California to Jacksonville, Florida, but the 300 miles through Arizona are its deadliest. Nearly 500 people were killed during one grim six-year spell.

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I-15, California to Nevada

In one direction it is the drive of dreams, but in the other it’s despair for many as the I-15 link Los Angeles, California to Las Vegas, Nevada. The road isn’t inherently unsafe, but drivers speeding to imagined future fortunes or taking to the road after drowning their sorrows, cause numerous crashes. One 15-year-long study showed that 1,069 people died on the I-15 in 834 accidents, making it the most lethal drive in the USA at the time.

I-45, Texas

The road between Galveston and Dallas has some of the worst traffic in Texas and, as a result, the accident rate is alarming. A recent study revealed 56.5 traffic fatalities per 100 miles of road.

I-285 Georgia

“The Perimeter” is a 64-mile loop that encircles Atlanta, Georgia and connects all the other major routes in the region. That makes it a congestion hot spot and one where accidents are common. In 2015 there were 35 deaths for every 100 miles of the I-285.

Dalton Highway, Alaska

Travellers from Fairbanks to Deadhorse in Alaska face some of the most treacherous conditions in America. And if you get into trouble help is definitely not close at hand, with a 240-mile gap between services on one stretch.

Highway 2, Montana

For a while Montana had no daytime speed limit and even today it boasts some of America’s fastest roads. Drivers on Highway 2 are restricted to 70mph, but that includes miles of two-lane blacktop that cuts through the mountains. It’s another huge state and hard to police, so many drivers drive even faster, leading to carnage.

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, Louisiana

This 24-mile-long bridge leading to New Orleans is disconcerting enough for height-fearing drivers. Halfway across the Guinness World Record span its impossible to see land in either direction. When the frequent fog rolls in it only gets worse and police have to escort drivers across to keep things safe.

Million Dollar Highway, Colorado

Rising 11,000 feet into the San Juan Mountains US Route 550 got its name, not for the cost of its construction, but because of the apocryphal tale of one woman who found the experience so scary she said she’d need to be paid $1 million to ever drive it again. For enthusiastic and skilled drivers it’s fabulous, but beware the Colorado weather which can trigger landslides and cut visibility to zero.

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Road to Hana, Hawaii

This 52-mile Maui motorway from Kahului to Hana is one of the most beautiful in the world, but it’s also among the most tricky to driver, with 620 sharp turns and 59 narrow bridges. Locals and keen drivers can make the trip in two hours, but many take twice as long, while the local tourist boards actively discourages visitors from driving it, telling them to take a tour bus instead.

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