State Route 99 Voted ‘Most Dangerous U.S. Road’
State Route 99 (SR-99) in California has been voted the most dangerous road in the U.S. Figures show that for every hundred miles, thirty four lives are lost.
As a result, drivers using this route are being warned to drive with extra care, and authorities are implementing new safety features to keep the road as safe as possible.
Driving difficulties
SR-99 is 400 miles long and is a tricky road for drivers to maneuver. This is particularly the case for young drivers who won’t have years of driving experience under their belts. As the road is largely rural, drivers are easily distracted by the boring scenery and this contributes to the total number of accidents that occur on the road. Similarly, almost 90% of young drivers confess to taking risks, such as speeding behind the wheel. The California Highway Patrol state that speeding is a leading cause of accidents on the SR-99, so novice drivers must ensure that they adhere to its 70 mph speed limit.
Staying safe on the SR-99
Just because there’s a 70 mph speed limit on the SR-99 it doesn’t mean that drivers have to drive this fast. Other highways in California generally have a top speed restriction of 65 mph, so if drivers are used to and feel most comfortable driving at this speed they should do so on the SR-99. Drivers should also consider the type of car they drive. New cars come with multiple safety features that can aid a journey along the SR-99. Another savvy way of staying safe is to browse and choose the best auto loans as these can help drivers to obtain the funds required to purchase a vehicle that has autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane assist, all of which will reduce the likelihood of an accident occurring.
Safety improvements
There are several ongoing projects on the SR-99 which aim to reduce the number of accidents that take place. In August, work started at the interchange between SR 99 and State Route 120 (SR-120) to widen the road and increase the number of lanes from 4 to 6 in the Madera area. Meanwhile, the SR-99 tunnel in Seattle will introduce a tolling system on November 9, 2019. While the main priority of the toll is to pay back construction bonds and cover maintenance costs, it’s hoped that the toll will cut accidents, too as research shows that tolls reduce congestion.
The SR-99 is notorious for being an accident hot spot. But the causes of these accidents are mostly controllable and can be reduced with better driving behavior and with the implementation of even more safety measures.
Photo by Matt Duncan on Unsplash