Every driver has their ideas of which roads are the most dangerous. Since the average person is not a researcher crunching numbers, the individual choices will often be a stretch of road they see during their regular commute — it often includes a stretch where people drive too fast, features a blind corner, or is prone to gridlock.
State and federal experts on traffic injuries and fatalities can offer a broader overall perspective based on statistics. There are about 35,000-40,000 road fatalities each year, and the majority of them happen in areas with larger populations. Nevertheless, the NHTSA counts an average of 800-900 road fatalities each year here in Indiana. Here are some of the most common roads where deaths and accidents happen.
Highway 41
U.S. Highway 41 here in Indiana is the deadliest road in Indiana and the 25th deadliest road in the country. It averages about ten deaths a year. Running 300 miles from Chicago to Evansville, the cause of injury and death is the high traffic volume with many significant intersections.
Interstate 65
Also running north and south for nearly 900 miles, this highway connects the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. It passes through Gary, New Albany, Seymour, Columbus, Franklin, and Indianapolis, where nearly 150,000 vehicles in the metro area travel on I-65 each day.
Interstate 70
The western end of this road has seen hundreds of crashes in recent years as well as several fatalities.
Highway 60
Highway 60 is also known as “Death Row” because its 60 miles is some of the deadliest pavement in the state.
Interstate 90
This is one of the busiest traffic arteries in the country, but it gets particularly dense and dangerous with large trucks and traffic entering and leaving near the Illinois state line.
Negligence is a legal issue
The dangers include natural factors like winter weather, wet roads, and reduced visibility. There is also human error where drivers go too fast, drive distracted or drive under the influence. Don’t see your road choice on the list? Every road is dangerous when someone drives recklessly, and it is these errors in judgment that can lead to legal action.