Arizona has one of the top five most dangerous highways in America during summer months, a recent study found.
ASecureLife.com listed the most dangerous highways in each state between May through September from 2015 to 2017. Interstate 10, which runs for 329 miles in Arizona, had 100 fatalities during that study period.
That's the fifth-largest number for an individual highway in the country, behind only Interstate 5 in California (192), U.S. Route 1 in Florida (160), the I-10 stretch in Texas (154), and Interstate 75 in Georgia (111).
All of the data that was collected in the study comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
The next two deadliest highways in Arizona during summer months between 2015 and 2017 were I-40 with 51 fatalities and I-17 with 49 fatalities, according to the study.
The Arizona Department of Transportation has responded, poo-pooing the result.
"Fatalities alone shouldn’t be the sole indicator of a roadway’s safety performance," it said. "You need to look at variables including traffic volume, as I-10 is the state's longest and most-traveled freeway, with much of it passing through the state's largest metropolitan areas."
While correct, it is important to know that the study only counted fatalities; had it counted accidents, the number would be in the tens of thousands, so, ADOT likely misses the mark here.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety had no comment on the study (Note: They are the agency that has to tend to and clean up the wrecks that occur on Interstate 10).
The Message: PLEASE be careful when traveling Interstate 10. There is little doubt that it is one of the most dangerous highways in America.
