California’s State Route 99 Ranked Most Dangerous Road

By Yosi Yahoudai
Founder and Managing Partner

How can I protect myself while traveling on dangerous highways?

A recently released report named California’s State Route 99 as the most dangerous highway in the United States.  In creating the rankings, ValuePenguin looked at how often fatal accidents happened on highways across the country. Route 99 was reported to have 62.3 fatal accidents per 100 miles, which is a marked increase over the second most dangerous road, Interstate 45 in Texas which has 56.5 fatalities.  ValuePenguin additionally rated roads in categories like the darkest highway, the road with the most drunk drivers, and much more.  Route 99 scored high in several of these categories as well.  

Several reasons could explain why Route 99 is the site of so many fatal accidents.  For starters, this road has narrow lanes and is often crowded with cars and trucks.  Fog can come in and make visibility minimal while traveling on Route 99.  Route 99 additionally ranks as the darkest highway and has the second highest number of drunk drivers.  Both of these factors likely contribute to a high numbers of accidents.  

Other dangerous roads in the United States include I-45 in Texas, I-95 running from Florida to Maine, I-10 from California to Florida, and I-75 journeying between Florida and Michigan.  Many drivers will find it necessary to drive on Route 99 and other dangerous roads across the nation at some point in their lives.  The good news is there are steps you can take to protect yourself from being involved in a car accident, including:

• Stay alert:  By closely paying attention and constantly scanning the area ahead, you increase your chance of seeing a problem and provide yourself with critical time to react.

• Avoid the nighttime hours:  Driving in the wee hours of the night or very early morning could put you on the road with drunk and tired drivers.  Avoid hitting the road at these twilight hours whenever possible.  

• Avoid the fast lane:  More accidents occur in the left-hand lane than any other.  By driving in the center or right-hand lane, you have more options to avoid problem drivers or dangers on the road.

Contact our Los Angeles car accident lawyers at J&Y if you are injured in a car accident.  Our firm of experienced car accident attorneys will strive to see that you obtain the compensation you deserve from the negligent driver that hit you.

About the Author

Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.