America's Most Dangerous Roads For Truckers Tyler Durden Sat, 11/28/2020 - 13:25 By Nick Austin, Director of Weather Analytics and Senior Meteorologist at FreightWaves, Truck driving is one of the riskiest jobs in the U.S., but the majority of professional drivers get through their careers without being involved in major accidents. The more skilled and safety conscious drivers are, the less likely they are to cause wrecks. But some things, like road designs, are out of a driver’s control. Based on driver experiences, U.S. Department of Transportation data and harsh weather, these are the top ten U.S. roads that truckers should avoid whenever possible. U.S. Highway 2 in Montana According to the University of Minnesota, U.S. Highway 2 (US-2) in Montana has the highest traffic death rate compared to the rest of the highway. Winter weather conditions make it particularly dangerous. This 760-mile stretch of US-2 — from the Washington state line to just east of Bainville — is prone to high winds, blizzards and black ice. It runs through extremely rural areas that are far apart from each other. The emergency response time of ambulances averages 80 minutes. Because of the limited population, there is not much traffic and so people tend to drive fast. U.S. Highway 550 in Colorado (The Million Dollar Highway) The Million Dollar Highway is the portion of U.S. Highway 550 in Colorado, from Ouray to Silverton. It got its name because it cost a million dollars to build it all the way back in the 1880s. This 25-mile stretch of the highway has many twists and turns through the mountains, ascending to an elevation of up to 11,000 feet. The weather in this part of the country can be erratic, with frequent snow, ice and high winds several months of the year. What makes this stretch of US-550 especially dangerous for truckers is the lack of shoulders or guardrails, and the drop-off can be extremely steep. A section of the Million Dollar Highway (U.S. 550) in Colorado. (Photo: Alan Stark/Flickr) Interstate 95 in Connecticut Interstate 95 runs for more than 1,900 miles from Houlton, Maine, to Miami. It’s one of the nation’s oldest highways, and it’s the longest north-south interstate in the country. Because it runs through numerous heavily populated cities, especially in the Northeast, I-95 accounts for many highway fatalities each year. The majority of accidents on this highway happen on an 8-mile stretch in the city of Norwalk, Connecticut. Winter storms, springtime heavy rains and occasional high winds add to the risk of potential tractor-trailer wrecks. Interstate 10 in Arizona Arizona’s share of Interstate 10 totals more than 360 miles. Because of the high traffic volume and lack of median barriers, the 150-mile span from Phoenix to the California border is among the nation’s most dangerous highways. It averages about 85 fatalities per year. There is just one actual fuel stop located at the halfway point, in Coldfoot. This section of I-10 consists of long desert stretches, which tend to lull drivers into inattention. I-10 is part of the original interstate highway network, which started in 1956, and is America’s fourth-longest interstate highway. Dalton Highway in Alaska Alaska’s James W. Dalton Highway — known as the Dalton Highway or Alaska Route 11 — is a highly dangerous route, mainly because it winds through mountainous terrain. It has only one fuel stop and little access to emergency services. The Dalton Highway runs for 414 miles, from Fairbanks to Deadhorse, and is the main road for truckers from Fairbanks to the northern areas of the state. It’s infamous for dangerously icy driving conditions. What makes this road so bad is how it meanders and winds through the mountains of the Brooks Range, where America’s lowest temperature of 80 degrees below zero was recorded in 1971. Making issues worse, the Dalton Highway was opened to tourists in 1994. Usually twice a day, helicopters patrol the area looking for breakdowns and accidents. California Route 138: ‘Blood Alley’ Truckers shouldn’t be fooled by California Route 138’s official name of Pearblossom Highway. Because of its deadly history, many Californians call the road “Blood Alley” or “Highway of Death.” Stretch of California Route 138. (Photo: Opprimé Cycling Team) The highway runs about 65 miles from Crestline to Palmdale, through the Mojave Desert. It got its ominous nicknames after a five-year period in which 56 people were killed and 875 were injured trying to tame it. The most dangerous stretch of the highway is east of the San Bernardino County line. The twisty two-lane road continued to average more than 10 fatalities per year until crews widened lanes and cleared sight lines in 2006, making it a bit safer. Interstate 4 in Florida Congestion and ongoing construction make any number of routes in Florida unappealing to truckers, especially Interstate 4. Running 140 miles from Tampa to Daytona Beach, it consistently ranks as one of the deadliest highways in the country. According to Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 165 deaths on Interstate 4 from 2014 to 2019. That’s around one death per mile. U.S. Highway 24: Toledo to Fort Wayne Built in 1926, U.S. Route 24 is a main commercial route between Toledo, Ohio, and Fort Wayne, Indiana. For decades, an overwhelming number of serious accidents occurred on the narrow road, leading to its nickname, “The Killway.” Stretch of U.S. Highway 24 between Ft. Wayne, Indiana and Toledo, Ohio. (Photo: Wikiwand) The Toledo Blade has reported that the road was known for “gruesome head-on collisions” among tractor-trailers. This 100-mile stretch of highway had dangerous turns and blind curves. Finally, in 2012, the road was widened to better accommodate trucks. However, drivers still consider it a dangerous, high-volume route. Interstate 15: Las Vegas to Los Angeles While the open spaces of this highway may appeal to the unwise or unseasoned trucker, the fact is it’s particularly deadly for a few reasons. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), Interstate 15 from Las Vegas to Los Angeles is one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in this region of the West. The culprits are the number of people commuting between the two large metropolitan areas, and many of those people not using seatbelts. In addition, truckers report a lot of drunk and distracted driving along the road’s 270 miles. Periods of Santa Ana winds, which can reach 100 mph, also put drivers at a high risk of rollovers on this stretch of highway. U.S. Highway 129: North Carolina to Tennessee One section of U.S. Highway 129 in North Carolina has 318 curves in an 11-mile span, earning its name the “Tail of the Dragon,” as well as its reputation for being one of America’s most dangerous roads. Some people just call it “The Dragon.” The Dragon starts near Cheoah Dam, also called Fugitive Dam because Harrison Ford jumps off it in the movie “The Fugitive.” The other end of The Dragon finishes in Tennessee at the Tabcat Creek bridge. A stretch of “The Dragon”, part of U.S. Highway 129 across the North Carolina-Tennessee border. (Photo: Alexey Stiop) Bordered by the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains and Cherokee National Forest, The Dragon is popular for bikers. But driving on this notorious road is no time for sightseeing. Many of its curves are blind switchback “S” curves, so a moment spent looking the wrong way could lead to catastrophic consequences for a commercial truck driver. Also, there are no fuel stations or other businesses along The Dragon.