It’s never too soon to start planning your next big road trip. The next time you do, however, take into consideration the following list of the five most dangerous roads in America – then map your route accordingly. The last thing you want when you’re out and about taking in the sights is to come across a hazard that’ll have you crawling in to the nearest auto repair shop to get you back up and running again.
- US Route 19 in Florida runs down Florida’s west coast for about 265 miles. According to statistics, pedestrian deaths along this road were extremely high over a five-year period, where there were 100 deaths reported. If you’re going to be traveling the west coast of Florida and can’t plan an alternate route, stay alert for crossing humans.
- US Route 2 runs almost 2600 miles from one end of the country to another, but it’s considered especially dangerous in Montana. According to statistics, this is the highway with the highest death rate among travelers in the country. If you’re planning a coast to coast trip along US Route 2, make sure you take special care as you’re driving through Montana.
- Interstate 15 runs on a north to south (or south to north, depending on where you’re headed) trajectory that cuts through California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, and up into Montana. One of its most dangerous stretches can be found between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, where more than a thousand people have met their untimely demise in just the last 15 years.
- The Dalton Highway in Alaska (AKA Alaska Route 11) is treacherous. Solely for the most daring of all road travelers, this 414-mile stretch of road has only three towns with a total population of 60. Built as a Trans-Alaska Pipeline supply road, you’ll encounter more than your fair share of big rigs along the way – not to mention the kind of weather that’ll make you wish you’d have stayed home and watched Ice Road Truckers instead.
- US Route 50 is also nicknamed the Million Dollar Highway for its proximity to numerous gold mines. The stretch of US Route 50 that lies between the towns of Silverton and Ouray, Colorado, is as dangerous as it is beautiful, with hairpin curves. There’s also the risk of avalanches during winter. Our advice: if you’ve got to take the Million Dollar Highway in winter, be sure you keep your windows rolled up and your eyes peeled.
