America’s Most Dangerous Highways For Truck Drivers

Category: Truck Accidents

Article by Aaron F. Tuley

As a truck driver, it is impossible to avoid certain roads. However, it is always important to know which ones tend to cause the most problems to drivers. Truck driving attorneys know this is nothing short of dangerous. The level of danger depends on a number of factors, such as weather conditions, someone texting while the driver, driving while intoxicated and so on. One of the major factors that can make truck driving particularly dangerous is the nature and condition of the road itself. Poorly located and badly maintained highways can cause even the most skilled and alert truck drivers to lose control. Here are America’s most dangerous highways for truck drivers.

Highway 550 in Colorado

Also called the Million Dollar Highway, Route 550 is regarded by many truckers as one of the most dangerous roads to travel in winter. It runs through New Mexico and Colorado. It is a windy road that narrows to two lanes, cuts into the sides of mountains and raises high above sea level. Something unusual about Colorado’s route 550 is that it lacks guardrails and shoulders. The drop off can be extremely steep.

California and Arizona’s I-15

It is America’s fourth largest interstate Highway, and the southernmost major interstate highway running from Santa Monica, CA to Jacksonville, FL. However, the 150 miles stretch from the California border to Phoenix, Arizona is very dangerous, accounting up to 85 deaths annually. Since the road runs via a vast desert, it, unfortunately, encourages over speeding, distracted driver and other lax behavior, such as not wearing safety belts, all which are the primary causes of most of the accidents.

Montana’s Highway 2

Montana’s Highway 2 is another open road that encourages speed, and thus high-speed accident. According to the University of Minnesota, it has the highest fatality than any other region. The two primary concerns about this highway are vast open spaces and weather. The weather is prone to blizzards, high winds, and black ice. The area is too rural, leading to long distances between emergencies services; it takes an average of 80 minutes for ambulances to arrive.

California Route 138

Route runs approximately 105 miles, cutting via the northwest portion of Los Angeles County, from I-15 to Palmdale. It averages over ten fatalities yearly because of its twisty roads and steep grade. Although some section of the road has been improved since 2006, Route 138 once was the location of 875 injuries and 56 deaths in a 5-year span. In fact, Californians have nicknamed it the “California Death way.”

Georgia’s I-285

More than 2 million vehicles travel on this road every day, thereby increasing the odds of an accident occurring. During rush hours, traffic can be so heavy that all lanes are a slow crawl if not completely stopped. Drowsy and distracted drivers make this road dangerous. The width of this road increases to 18 lanes, when the I-285 intersects with I-85, creating further creating confusion to drivers who are not paying attention.

These are just some of America’s most dangerous highways for truck drivers, according to our truck accident lawyers. Though accidents can happen anywhere at any time, it is essential that you always remain extra cautious when driving your truck in any of these roads.
For more information, speak to our truck accident lawyers.

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