President Eisenhower passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act in 1956 to create a national highway system that “eliminate[s] unsafe roads, inefficient routes, and traffic jams.” While the growing highway system led to more effective traveling and commuting for drivers, it has also become the host of many fatal accidents since its inception.
Ideally, the interstate system optimizes nationwide transportation. Without it, cross-country road trips and drives down the coast wouldn’t be possible! However, with the added distractions of cell phones and increased traffic in cities, many routes are teeming with accidents waiting to happen.
New England is not immune to highway accidents despite having one of the lowest overall fatality rates in the country. In fact, Boston is the most congested U.S. city during rush-hour, which can lead to additional distractions, delays, and annoyances for New England drivers. All drivers are expected to drive carefully and thoughtfully, but at the same time must be aware of what is at stake. Whether for daily commutes or long vacation trips, it is important for all drivers to know which areas in New England are more accident-prone.
Interstate 95 tops New England’s Bad Road list
Interstate 95 has seen numerous accidents, and fatalities, throughout New England. This interstate runs through every New England state except Vermont and provides a route from the Canadian border through the Northeast and Middle Atlantic states south to Miami. By analyzing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s statistics from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, I-95 is clearly the second most dangerous highway in America, with over 200 deaths a year. Other top “bad roads” include:
Southcoast Massachusetts’ Most Dangerous Roadways
- Swansea, MA – Grand Army of the Republic Highway at Swansea Mall Drive – 54 crashes
- Fall River, MA – Pleasant Street at Plymouth Avenue – 89 crashes
- Fall River, MA Bedford Street at Troy Street – 54 crashes
Rhode Island’s Most Dangerous Roadways
- Providence,RI – Interstate 95, Exit 29 – 191 crashes
- Charlestown, RI – US Post Road to RI 2016 – 296 crashes
- Providence, RI Interstate 95, Exit 18 – 51 crashes
SOURCES:
- WHO
- RIDOT
- MassDOT
*Numbers based on 3-year data sets