Summer driving is an American tradition for vacation fun, but the season comes with a special set of highway hazards.
With teen drivers out of school and on the roads, families embarking on long road trips, and people heading on day trips to nearby beaches or lakes, roads can be more congested than normal.
A Secure Life found the most dangerous summer highways in each of the 50 states by looking at The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The security analysts examined data on driving fatalities from May to September 2015 to 2017.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the larger the state, the more fatalities reported. California had 441 deaths and Texas had 444 over the three summers.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Roads to watch out for
When it came to traffic fatalities for its size, Florida was dubiously distinct: The 21st largest state by area, it suffered 440 traffic deaths during those summer months. What’s more, Florida also includes the state road with the highest number of summer traffic fatalities for the time period: There were 160 deaths on I-10 during the summers of 2015, 2016, and 2017.
I-95, which is one of the main highways on the East Coast running mostly along the coast from Maine to Florida, was the highway with the most fatalities in eight states. Similarly, I-70 which runs east to west from Maryland to Utah, and I-80, another east to west highway that goes from New York to California, are both in the top three deadliest highways for six different states.
Others to watch out for that appeared on the list for more than one state include: I-40, I-75, I-90, I-10, I-94, I-20, I-25, I-35, I-5, I-65, and I-81.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Speed limits
Another not-so-surprising trend is the higher the state speed limit, the more fatalities there are on the roads. Texas, for example, has the highest speed limits in the nation, with some roads where you can drive 85 mph.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reported that 41 states have maximum speed limits of 70 mph or higher, while six states have 80 mph limits.
It’s important to remember that each state sets their own speed limits, and these speed limits have been on the rise since the mid-1990s. And an IIHS study found that a 5 mph speed limit increase correlated with an 8% increase in fatality rates on interstates and highways.
“Driving 70 instead of 65 saves a driver at best six-and-a-half minutes on a 100-mile trip,” said Charles Farmer, IIHS vice president for research and statistical services. So moral of the story: Slow down. Driving that extra few miles per hour won’t get you to your destination all that much sooner than driving the speed limit.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Alabama
Deadliest highway: I-65
Fatalities: 83
Second deadliest highway: I-59
Fatalities: 48
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Alaska
Deadliest highway: SR-1 Glenn Hwy.
Fatalities: 13
Second deadliest highway: SR-1 Seward Hwy.
Fatalities: 7
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Arizona
Deadliest highway: I-10
Fatalities: 100
Second deadliest highway: I-40
Fatalities: 51
Image Credit: Davel5957/istockphoto.
Arkansas
Deadliest highway: I-40-33
Fatalities: 6
Second deadliest highway: I-555-080
Fatalities: 6
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
California
Deadliest highway: I-5
Fatalities: 192
Second deadliest highway: US-101
Fatalities: 139
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Colorado
Deadliest highway: I-25
Fatalities: 60
Second deadliest highway: I-70
Fatalities: 51
Image Credit: haveseen / iStock.
Connecticut
Deadliest highway: US-6
Fatalities: 24
Second deadliest highway: I-95
Fatalities: 22
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Delaware
Deadliest highway: SR-1 Coastal Hwy.
Fatalities: 8
Second deadliest highway: SR-24 Laurel Rd.
Fatalities: 5
Image Credit: iStock.
District of Columbia
Deadliest highway: Suitland Pkway. SE
Fatalities: 3
Second deadliest highway: Northbound Rock Creek Pkwy.
Fatalities: 2
Image Credit: dkfielding.
Florida
Deadliest highway: US-1
Fatalities: 160
Second deadliest highway: I-95
Fatalities: 158
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Georgia
Deadliest highway: I-75
Fatalities: 111
Second deadliest highway: I-20
Fatalities: 55
Image Credit: Pixabay.com.
Hawaii
Deadliest highway: SR-93
Fatalities: 14
Second deadliest highway: SR-11
Fatalities: 11
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Idaho
Deadliest highway: I-84
Fatalities: 45
Second deadliest highway: US-95
Fatalities: 42
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Illinois
Deadliest highway: I-57
Fatalities: 39
Second deadliest highway: I-55
Fatalities: 37
Image Credit: benkrut / iStock.
Indiana
Deadliest highway: I-70
Fatalities: 17
Second deadliest highway: I-65
Fatalities: 15
Image Credit: f11photo.
Iowa
Deadliest highway: I-80
Fatalities: 26
Second deadliest highway: SR-2
Fatalities: 13
Image Credit: Maksymowicz / iStock.
Kansas
Deadliest highway: I-70
Fatalities: 35
Second deadliest highway: US-54
Fatalities: 24
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Kentucky
Deadliest highway: US-27
Fatalities: 45
Second deadliest highway: US-60
Fatalities: 41
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Louisiana
Deadliest highway: I-10
Fatalities: 70
Second deadliest highway: I-20
Fatalities: 33
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Maine
Deadliest highway: I-95
Fatalities: 15
Second deadliest highway: US-201
Fatalities: 6
Image Credit: Mak_photo / iStock.
Maryland
Deadliest highway: I-95
Fatalities: 32
Second deadliest highway: US-1
Fatalities: 24
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Massachusetts
Deadliest highway: I-495 N
Fatalities: 18
Second deadliest highway: I-495 S
Fatalities: 15
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Michigan
Deadliest highway: I-94
Fatalities: 41
Second deadliest highway: I-75
Fatalities: 38
Image Credit: Bobak Ha’Eri/wikimedia.org.
Minnesota
Deadliest highway: US-169
Fatalities: 27
Second deadliest highway: I-94
Fatalities: 20
Image Credit: Willard / iStock.
Mississippi
Deadliest highway: I-55
Fatalities: 58
Second deadliest highway: US-49
Fatalities: 27
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Missouri
Deadliest highway: I-70
Fatalities: 60
Second deadliest highway: I-44
Fatalities: 42
Image Credit: eyecrave.
Montana
Deadliest highway: I-90
Fatalities: 24
Second deadliest highway: US-2
Fatalities: 21
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Nebraska
Deadliest highway: I-80
Fatalities: 42
Second deadliest highway: US-81
Fatalities: 16
Image Credit: wellesenterprises / iStock.
Nevada
Deadliest highway: I-15
Fatalities: 27
Second deadliest highway: I-80
Fatalities: 25
Image Credit: AlizadaStudios.
New Hampshire
Deadliest highway: I-93
Fatalities: 19
Second deadliest highway: SR-101
Fatalities: 8
Image Credit: Ultima_Gaina / iStock.
New Jersey
Deadliest highway: I-95
Fatalities: 27
Second deadliest highway: I-78
Fatalities: 18
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
New Mexico
Deadliest highway: I-25
Fatalities: 50
Second deadliest highway: I-40
Fatalities: 50
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
New York
Deadliest highway: I-90
Fatalities: 26
Second deadliest highway: I-81
Fatalities: 20
Image Credit: Frederic Prochasson.
North Carolina
Deadliest highway: I-40
Fatalities: 61
Second deadliest highway: I-85
Fatalities: 50
Image Credit: Sean Pavone / iStock.
North Dakota
Deadliest highway: I-94
Fatalities: 17
Second deadliest highway: US-2
Fatalities: 11
Image Credit: ChrisBoswell.
Ohio
Deadliest highway: I-71
Fatalities: 39
Second deadliest highway: I-75
Fatalities: 31
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Oklahoma
Deadliest highway: I-44
Fatalities: 39
Second deadliest highway: I-40
Fatalities: 34
Image Credit: Tiago_Fernandez.
Oregon
Deadliest highway: I-5
Fatalities: 21
Second deadliest highway: I-84
Fatalities: 20
Image Credit: HaizhanZheng.
Pennsylvania
Deadliest highway: I-81 American Legion Memorial Hwy.
Fatalities: 28
Second deadliest highway: US-30 Lincoln Hwy.
Fatalities: 19
Image Credit: weaver1234.
Rhode Island
Deadliest highway: I-295 S
Fatalities: 7
Second deadliest highway: I-95 S
Fatalities: 6
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
South Carolina
Deadliest highway: US-17
Fatalities: 82
Second deadliest highway: I-26
Fatalities: 51
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
South Dakota
Deadliest highway: I-90 W
Fatalities: 18
Second deadliest highway: I-90 E
Fatalities: 10
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Tennessee
Deadliest highway: I-40
Fatalities: 85
Second deadliest highway: I-24
Fatalities: 39
Image Credit: Dyersburg, Tennessee by Paul Sableman (CC BY).
Texas
Deadliest highway: I-10
Fatalities: 154
Second deadliest highway: I-20
Fatalities: 151
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Utah
Deadliest highway: I-15
Fatalities: 51
Second deadliest highway: US-89
Fatalities: 31
Image Credit: ” 4kodiak”.
Vermont
Deadliest highway: US-7
Fatalities: 9
Second deadliest highway: SR-9
Fatalities: 8
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Virginia
Deadliest highway: US-58
Fatalities: 45
Second deadliest highway: I-95
Fatalities: 44
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Washington
Deadliest highway: I-5
Fatalities: 57
Second deadliest highway: I-90
Fatalities: 36
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
West Virginia
Deadliest highway: I-64
Fatalities: 26
Second deadliest highway: I-79
Fatalities: 22
Image Credit: ” Chayanisa Puttamata”.
Wisconsin
Deadliest highway: US-12
Fatalities: 20
Second deadliest highway: CR-A
Fatalities: 18
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Wyoming
Deadliest highway: I-80
Fatalities: 39
Second deadliest highway: I-25
Fatalities: 16
This article originally appeared on Considerable.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
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