Missouri’s Most Accident-Prone Roads Revealed
Missouri’s Highway 63 is well-known for being the state’s most dangerous road, with an average of 15 fatal accidents occurring every year. But it’s not just Highway 63 that's particularly treacherous for drivers in Missouri, as the state is home to multiple other roads that cause endless accidents each year.
As a result, road officials are implementing various measures to improve safety for drivers.
Page Avenue
A 0.53-mile stretch of highway on Page Avenue, Wellston, St. Louis is a deadly spot for motorists. Figures show that 5.59 fatal crashes occur here per mile, which is an alarmingly high number for such a small section of road. The absence of efficient street lighting, as well as a lack of road signs, is what is believed to be the cause of the high accident rate on the road. Local businesses have called for traffic lights to be installed to force drivers to slow down. However, with it being more cost-effective to install ‘Stop’ signs, nothing more than these have been put up to date. It’s therefore crucial that drivers traveling through the area, limit their speed and pay careful attention to the road.
Interstate 70
Another highway based in St. Louis that’s considered one of the most dangerous in Missouri is the I-70. The almost 4-mile stretch of road was responsible for 9 fatalities over a 2-year period, putting it in 2nd place for the number of fatalities per mile in the St. Louis region. Sadly, accidents are common on the I-70. In December 2019, a fatal accident happened following a tractor-trailer striking a vehicle that left several motorists injured. Many people who have experienced an auto accident in St. Louis like this one will seek legal assistance. This is because a qualified lawyer can help settle road accident cases and claim compensation for drivers and passengers if, for example, they’re unable to work due to their injuries. The good news is that constant measures are being put in place on the I-70 to limit accidents, including ticketing drivers committing offenses, treating the road to prevent freezing, and increasing the number of interchanges to ease congestion.
US Highway 71
Over in Kansas City, a 7.8-mile stretch of the U.S. 71 was the site of 8 road accidents that resulted in 9 lives being lost. This, therefore, makes the road one of the most dangerous in Missouri, according to a detailed analysis of accident statistics. The Missouri Department of Transportation has previously stated that the road is as safe as can be, and that driver behavior is integral in reducing the number of accidents that occur. However, many drivers have called for the speed limit on the road to be increased and for the traffic lights to be removed, but it remains to be seen whether their wishes will be listened to.
Missouri is no stranger to dangerous roads, but it’s not just the highly publicized ones that drivers in the state need to be wary of: there are several lesser-known but just as threatening roads right across the state.