Different scenarios can make roads very dangerous. Mountain roads are often dangerous because their lower temperatures may lead to ice formation when the roads at lower elevations are still dry. Additionally, mountain roads are often narrow with frequent curves, creating a risky situation for potential crashes. People also often associate inclement winter weather with dangerous driving conditions.
Given that Louisiana doesn’t have ice-capped mountain ranges or freezing winter weather, you might think that the roads around Baton Rouge are quite safe. However, it isn’t just the weather and the topography that influences how safe a road is. The level of traffic and the behavior of drivers also impact the risk people have on the road. Despite fewer environmental risk factors than other places, Baton Rouge is actually one of the most dangerous places to drive in the country.
A major highway that goes through Baton Rouge is a deadly stretch of road
Crashes can occur on any road when someone gets behind the wheel after drinking, looks down at their phones while driving or falls asleep at the wheel. High levels of traffic and higher speed limits can also contribute to the likelihood of a crash.
Some of the busiest roads in the Baton Rouge area are also the most dangerous streets to drive on in the region. Two of the most dangerous roads are US-61 and I-10. In fact, an analysis of national crash data has shown that I-10 is one of the most dangerous roads in the country. When ranked based on the number of traffic deaths compared with the length of the highway, it is sixth in the nation for the most fatal accidents!
How road safety statistics can help you
If you take I-10 every day as part of your commute to work, it might be worth considering taking an alternate path home unless it drastically increases your commute time. An extra five or 10 minutes on surface streets every day could allow you to avoid the most dangerous road in the area during the most dangerous time of day.
Even if you can’t change the path that you take to avoid the more dangerous roads around Baton Rouge, you can at least be conscientious about driving more carefully if you do travel on US-61 or I-10 to hopefully avoid getting into a motor vehicle crash.
