Founder and Managing Partner
What is the most dangerous highway in California?
Let’s face it: there’s no escaping the need to drive in California, and with that comes the risk of deadly car crashes. While there are a number of causes for automobile accidents, many of which can be attributed to driver error, some highways in the state are more dangerous than others.
While accidents can occur anywhere, two highways in Los Angeles are well known accident magnets: Interstate 5 (I-5) and Interstate 10 (I-10). Both highways have high volumes of traffic, which are a leading cause of accidents, many of which are deadly. But the deadliest stretch of road in the state is Highway 99 in the Central Valley.
Not only is this highway the deadliest in the state, it leads the nation in car accident fatalities. This information was gleaned from the NTHSA database and released in a research report by a New York-based private consumer research organization. Highway 99 traverses a number of cities in the valley, including Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto.
Over a recent five-year span, there were 62 fatal accidents per 100 miles of road. The Modesto area is particularly deadly, with 35 fatalities recorded. Meanwhile, over the past 10 years, there has reportedly been ongoing safety and efficiency improvements on Highway 99 as part of the $20 billion in infrastructure bonds approved by voters under Proposition 1B of 2006.
At that time, state officials had determined that Highway 99 needed $1 billion upgrades to its narrow shoulders, tight ramps and undersized interchanges, which combined with the heavy traffic, contributed to the high number of accidents and fatalities. It goes without saying that the upgrades should make for safe travel.
Nonetheless, the leading cause of motor vehicle accidents is driver error. In particular, other factors that lead to frequent accidents on Highway 99 and other roads throughout Northern and Southern California include drunk driving, distracted driving and driver fatigue. Regardless of the cause, if you were injured in an automobile accident that was not your fault, the experienced personal injury attorneys at the J&Y law firm can help you obtain meaningful compensation.