Highway 99 through the Central Valley named the deadliest highway in America

In all, the United States has 2.7 million miles of roads — some parts safer than others. Unfortunately, the most dangerous roadway in America happens to be in our own backyard, according to new study.

Highway 99 through the Central Valley was named the deadliest major highway in the country, according to data compiled by ValuePenguin, a private consumer research organization based in New York, using statistics from the National Traffic and Highway Safety Administration database of fatal crashes.

The 400-mile highway — which runs through Bakersfield, the Central Valley, and up through Sacramento — recorded 62 fatal accidents per 100 miles over a recent five-year span, from 2011 to 2015.

What makes Highway 99 so dangerous? The study looked at three factors that contribute often to crashes: weather, lighting, and driving under the influence, and evaluated which highways were the most dangerous by category. The study found that Highway 99 had the largest number of fatalities caused by dark, unlit roads anywhere in the county, and ranked second for the highest number of drunk driving fatalities.

In total, Highway 99 saw 264 fatal crashes in the five-year period. Fifty of those involved driving under the influence.

Interstate 45 in Texas had the second highest rate of fatalities, 55 per 100 miles, followed by Interstate 95, which runs down the eastern seaboard from Maine to Florida.

“Certain things are out of our control when we’re driving, but we can all take several steps to make sure we all get home safe,” said attorney David K. Cohn, managing partner at Chain | Cohn | Clark. “Don’t distract yourself while driving, don’t speed, practice defensive driving, and never drive while under the influence.”

California highway officials have been working on $1 billion worth of safety and efficiency improvements on Highway 99 over the past 10 years, using some of the $20 billion in infrastructure bonds approved by state voters in 2006 under Proposition 1B, according to news reports.

Highway 99 was the only freeway singled out in Prop. 1B specifically for upgrades. At the time, state officials said the old highway was outmoded, with narrow shoulders, tight ramps and under-sized interchanges. Improvement work has been ongoing since then.

Besides being connected with the title of having the most dangerous roads in America, Bakersfield also has been ranked high for having the deadliest roads for pedestrians, and has been grappling with a rash of bicycle-related accidents and deaths.

Doing its part, Chain | Cohn | Clark has partnered each year with local agencies to give away free safety helmets and bicycle lights, is a close partner with Mothers Against Drunk Driving Kern County in the fight against driving under the influence locally, and regularly provides safety tips for Kern County drivers.

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If you or someone you know is injured in an accident on Highway 99 due to the fault of someone else, please contact the accident attorneys at Chain | Cohn | Clark by calling (661) 323-4000, or visit the website chainlaw.com.