The Most Dangerous Roads Surrounding Las Vegas, Nevada
Traffic accidents and fatalities in Las Vegas, Nevada are on the rise. In fact, the areas surrounding Sin City are, statistically, some of the most dangerous in the world.
“This is a city where adults go to leave behind their common sense, let loose, and get wild. Because of that, we highly recommend defensive driving to our camper van renters,” says John B., owner of VegasCampers, a Las Vegas Camper Van Rental company. “That mentality, combined with winding mountain passes in all directions, unexpected wildlife dangers, and long stretches of remote and unlit highway means that drivers really need to be aware of the considerable risk of car accidents.”
He would know because his camper van rentals frequently get returned wrecked on tow trucks. So, whether you are visiting the city or immediately leaving the madness to go on a road trip, you must know about the dangerous roads in and around Las Vegas. Therefore, here is a list of the most dangerous roads in and around Las Vegas that see the highest number of incidents throughout the year.
The Las Vegas Strip
The Vegas Strip is the 2.5-mile-long central road of Las Vegas Boulevard. This is the ‘Vegas’ of the movies and stereotypes. This road is notorious for the reason that many people drive here while drunk. In fact, statistics show that almost 42% of traffic accidents are caused by drunk drivers on this road. Defensive driving and expecting that others are intoxicated is the name of the game when driving this famous street.
I-15
Millions of people travel between Las Vegas and Southern California each year. They’re either excited to get to Vegas or rushing to get home after a crazy weekend. Because of that, the 181-mile long route section of I-15 between Las Vegas and Los Angeles is one of Nevada’s most deadly roads. In fact, during the last decade, this stretch of I-15 has been named the most deadly stretch of road in the U.S. According to a study, during the past 15 years, more than 800 accidents were reported here.
Red Rock Canyon Loop Road
The Red Rock Canyon loop is a scenic road in a National Conservation Area. At 12.4 miles long, it has stunning views, high elevations, steep grades, and passes through arid desert landscapes. It’s a one-way road that has high potential to be filled with bikers, hikers, turtles, wild burro, lizards, snakes, climbers, and motorcyclists. Combine that with sharp turns, steep gradients, and cliff edges with no guard rails, it’s no wonder that so many accidents and fatalities happen on this road. Further, hikers in the summer get caught in the heat and often suffer heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heat stroke. Meanwhile in the winter, the unexpectedly cold and frigid winds have contributed to the deaths of many people.
Nevada State Route 582
The Nevada State Route is also known as the Boulder Highway. This road is only more than 15 miles long. It connects Downtown Las Vegas with Henderson. According to Nevada transportation authorities, more than 100 traffic accidents, including fatal crashes, were reported at Nellis and Boulder. Besides this, traffic safety authorities also share a report. According to this report, approximately 10 percent of all pedestrian fatalities in Las Vegas occur along Boulder Highway. There are more accidents occur where the road intersects with Nellis Boulevard and Flamingo Road.
In the last few years, the intersection of Boulder Highway and Sun Valley has been reported as the most deadly intersection in Las Vegas.
U.S Highway 93
If you want to go from Vegas to Phoenix and are looking for a safe and fast option, you’re out of luck. According to a data website "Value Penguin", the US-93 is one of the adverse roads in the United States. While it doesn’t have the highest rate of incidents, it’s the remoteness that makes it dangerous; this highway has one of the highest wait times for emergency response services.
If you are planning to take this route, be sure to bring plenty of water and stay alert. Don’t be tempted to speed as it could take an hour or more for emergency services to reach you.
U.S. Highway 50
Highway 50 is one of the most dangerous roads in Nevada. It is notorious for the reason that it is the loneliest road in America. Even transportation experts said that "we want all motorists not to drive there unless they are confident of their survival skills."
This highway is 250 miles long and stretches towards the mountainous foothills.
There are hardly any cell stations, services, or gas stations, making it harder to drive on this highway. If you want to take this route by yourself, try to take the necessary precautions such as water, food, and extra gas.
Nevada State Route 431
The Mount Rose Highway is a paved 25-mile long route. This road is more than 8,000 feet above sea level. It is a high-risk route, especially in winter. When the weather changes, watch for major snowstorms. Dozens of accidents occur each winter. Many accidents result in fatalities because of the high drop vehicles face.
In the winter season, the summit gets up to 400 inches of snow. If you are planning to go here, drivers must have snow chains or any other replacements, and make sure you can handle such a situation.
However, driving in summer is also dangerous because of the many hairpin curves and heavy traffic.
Virgin River Gorge
Driving in the Virgin River Gorge is risky due to construction issues. Driving here is not suitable due to the weather conditions also. Before going here, you should know about the warning from the National Weather Service. In winter, there is a risk of heavy snow storms. There are 12 to 24 inches of snow with wind gusts of up to 45 miles per hour.
In 2013, 300 motorists were stuck in the gorge overnight after a heavy snow storm with total accumulations reaching 10 inches and several inches of ice forced the Arizona Highway Patrol to close the freeway.
Conclusion
The best ways to avoid incidents in Las Vegas are to drive as though you are expecting that many people around you are intoxicated, on their phones, and in a rush… because they are! For those camping or renting a vehicle to head into the wilderness, consider renting a camper van from VegasCampers so that you have everything you’ll need for medical supplies, emergency kit, drinking water, charging station, and everything else you need to safely have a wonderful vacation.
A severe traffic accident can occur anywhere, but some roads or highways are more dangerous than others and cause traffic accidents, even fatal ones. Drivers who use the following highways must consider taking special care to prioritize safety and drive defensively to avoid causing or falling victim to a severe traffic accident.
Image: @julie-aurore-prioleau