Interstate Highways With the Most Fatalities

The Interstate Highway System was established in 1956 and makes traveling across the country relatively easy. Drivers travel over 700 billion miles annually on US Interstates. Unfortunately, with this much traffic, collisions are inevitable.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 2020 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) collects data to share with the American public which interstate highways had the most fatalities. FARS recorded 38,824 overall deaths in 2020, with the rates per 100,000 persons being highest in Mississippi, Wyoming, and Arkansas.

How Highway Fatalities Are Calculated

The FARS data for 2020 was released on March 2, 2022. For an incident to be included in these statistics, the crash must have occurred in the United States (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) on a public roadway within the last 30 days.

For our research, we simplified an accident location to the interstate level. In addition, wrecks on a section of a state road that also doubles as an interstate were included.

#7. I-15 – 133 Fatalities –  9.3 Per 100 Miles

I-15 is a north-south highway that connects San Diego with Sweet Grass, Montana, near the Canadian border. It is the main route from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, with a commute time of around five hours. The road continues through Utah, and speed limits reach 80 mph in some locations.

In one incident back in February 2020, a bus crashed in North San Diego County, killing three passengers and injuring 18. The culprit was believed to be faulty tires.

#6. I-35 – 157 Fatalities – 10.0 Per 100 Miles

The I-35 highway will take you most of the way from the Mexican border to Canada. It begins in Texas and reaches Duluth, Minnesota.

The deadly I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis in 2007 brought attention to America’s deteriorating bridge infrastructure, prompting more governments to set aside cash to replace these aging structures. Despite this, I-35 continues to have a high number of fatalities each year, due primarily to driver error.

#5. I-5 – 193 Fatalities – 14.0 Per 100 Miles

I-5 is the freeway on the West Coast that connects all major cities from Mexico to Canada. The road follows the Pacific Ocean from San Diego to Los Angeles before cutting inland through Sacramento, Oregon, and Seattle.

More capacity on the I-5 is needed due to increased traffic and speeding. There was a 47 percent rise in fatal collisions between 2020 and 2021.

#4. I-20 – 203 Fatalities– 13.2 Per 100 Miles

I-20 splits from I-10 in western Texas and runs east through the heart of the South. You will pass through several major cities, driving it to I-95.

In September 2020, two deadly wrecks occurred on I-20 in Georgia. Two on-duty officers were killed after their car collided with the back of a halted tractor-trailer. In addition, a 54-year-old woman died in a nine-car pileup later that same day.

#3. I-40 – 270 Fatalities – 10.6 Per 100 Miles

I-40 is America’s third-longest interstate route, running from Wilmington, North Carolina, to Barstow, California. This highway runs through Knoxville, where multiple wrecks were seen in 2020. One person died near the Straw Plains exit in February, close to where a man was killed in an automobile collision the month prior.

Speeding is one of the leading causes of deadly highway accidents, including a crash that killed three construction workers in Iredell County, North Carolina. Similarly, a five-car pileup in New Mexico caused by snow and slick roadways killed two people and injured many more.

#2. I-10 – 325 Fatalities – 13.2 Per 100 Miles

I-10 is the southern highway to take for coast-to-coast travel. It runs 2,460 miles from Los Angeles to Jacksonville, Florida, and is the fourth-longest interstate route in the United States.

Louisiana stated in late 2020 that it would replace the Calcasieu River Bridge, a dangerous relic erected in 1952 that received a jolt earlier that year when Hurricane Laura blew a riverboat casino onto it.

#1. I-95 – 379 Fatalities – 19.7 Per 100 Miles

I-95 is notorious for severe traffic and accidents on the East Coast, which is understandable given that it passes through 15 states from northern Maine to Miami, Florida.

With a series of major deadly crashes on the coast in 2020, including a four-car wreck in Delaware that killed two people, I-95 earned its position at the top of our list. The worst night on I-95 in the study period was when three people were killed in separate collisions within 20 minutes in Rhode Island.

Get in Touch with a Compassionate Attorney for Help with an Interstate Highway Fatalities Case

While we have discussed the interstate highways with the most fatalities, automobile deaths can happen anywhere. With several Interstates, including I-80, I-88. I-55, I-90, and I-94 surrounding our offices, we have over forty years of experience helping clients navigate fatal car accident cases. When your loved one has passed due to the negligence or carelessness of another driver, get in touch with the Law Offices of R.F. Wittmeyer, Ltd.

Our team of hardworking car accident attorneys could help you build a solid case for compensation. Call to schedule a consultation today.