Americans spend a lot of time driving. Not only do many of us have long daily commutes to work, we often spend our downtime taking long and winding road trips, or just cruising through town.

We get so used to sitting behind the wheel, we frequently lose sight of the fact that driving isn’t always safe. Each year, an average of 30,000 people die as the result of an auto accident. Before you hit the road for your next fun road trip, take a few minutes to learn about the deadliest drives in America.

California’s Highway 99

The stretch of Highway 99 that cuts through Central Valley in California is 424 miles long and has the distinction of being one of the deadliest stretches of highway in the United States.

The section of Highway 99 that takes motorists from Wheeler Ridge to Red Bluff records 0.62 accidents every mile. There are a few different reasons why so many accidents take place on this stretch of road. Because it’s a long drive, too many people are distracted by their cell phones.

They also have a tendency to drive to fast. Many drivers feel the way that the highway was designed, with narrow lanes and tricky exits plays a big role in the high number of accidents.

Fog frequently rolls over the highway, making visibility an issue. Any way you look at things, if you find yourself on California’s Highway 99, you need to be extra vigilant and keep plenty of space between yourself and the other vehicles.

Texas’s I-45

Traffic accident data collected by the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration in 2017 showed that more fatal traffic accidents took place in Texas than any other place in the United States.

During that year, there were 3,602 traffic accident fatalities and many of them took place on the stretch of 1-45 that cuts through the Lone Star State.  Data indicates that the Texas portion of I-45 averages 56.5 fatal accidents per every 100 miles of highway.

A large portion of these accidents take place near Houston. Drunk driving is the leading cause of traffic accident fatalities on this stretch of road.

Colorado’s Route 550

Colorado’s Route 550 has the distinction of being commonly called the Million Dollar Highway. It’s a stunning, 25-mile-long stretch of road that treats motorists to some breathtaking views.

The scenic route is also one of the most deadly drives in the United States. The entire stretch of highway features hairpin turns that take place at high elevations. All it takes is one mistake for you to become involved in a single-car fatal traffic accident. When driving this span of road, shut your cell phone off, slow down, and pay careful attention to the road.

Montana’s Highway 2

When most of us think about the deadliest drives in America, we picture stretches of wide highway that have thousands of cars on them. We don’t usually think about rural areas like Montana, yet Montana’s Highway 2 happens to be one of the deadliest drives in the United States.

There are a few reasons so many traffic accidents occur on Montana’s Highway 2. Because it’s a quiet stretch of highway, people tend to drive to fast. There’s a high risk of auto/wildlife accidents, and since traffic is sparse, drivers are bad about using the phone while they drive.

However, Montana officials claim that the main reason so many traffic accidents become fatalities is because it’s not possible for emergency crews to reach the accidents fast enough to save lives.

While the stats indicate that these are the deadliest drives in America, that doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate them into your next road trip. What it does mean is you need to use extra care and be vigilant about keeping yourself, your passengers, and your fellow road warriors safe.