America is home to a system of highways that run more than 4.12 million miles. Despite improvements in automobile quality and standards, there are still more than 34,000 fatal car crashes across the country every year. Of these crashes, 57% occur on U.S. highways and nearly 50 people die per day as a result. Naturally, each road has its own respective track record when it comes to safety, and some roads are more dangerous than others. We analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (NHTSA-FARS) and used this information to rank the 50 most dangerous roads in the country
1. US Route 93 in Arizona
Is the most dangerous highway in the U.S. This 200-mile-long road runs between Wickenburg, Arizona, and the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge, also known as the Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, near Nevada’s border. Many drivers use this route when driving between Las Vegas and Phoenix. Most of the fatal crashes occur along the segment in Mohave County, Arizona. Overall, 70 fatal crashes reportedly took place on this highway from 2010 through 2016.
2. Oklahoma State Highway 9
SR-9 in Oklahoma ranked as the second most dangerous highway in our study. This highway spans east to west through the width of central Oklahoma, between the Arkansas state border and the Texas panhandle. SR-9 is around 348 miles long and is the second longest state highway in Oklahoma. The majority of fatal crashes happened along the portion of road in Cleveland County, Oklahoma. Overall, a reported total of 50 fatal crashes took place on this highway from 2010 through 2016.
3. US Route 160 in Colorado
The portion of U.S. Route 160 running through Colorado placed third on our most dangerous highway rankings. This 490-mile-long highway segment starts at New Mexico and ends near the Kansas state border. The majority of fatal crashes takes place along the portion of road running through La Plata County. In addition, a high mountain pass, known as Wolf Creek Pass, has claimed many vehicles due to steep roadways and switchbacks. Overall, a reported total of 80 fatal crashes took place on this highway from 2010 through 2016.