This fall, Popular Mechanics came out with its ranking of the 25 most dangerous highways in the United States. Most of these dangerous roads are located in California, Texas, Colorado, Arizona and the Carolinas, but a major highway here in Connecticut made the list as well.
The road in question: I-95, and specifically the 8-mile stretch of I-95 near Norwalk. There are about 735 crashes there annually, the New Haven Daily Voice reported.
Last year, another study published by ASecureLife looked specifically at summer driving. Under summer conditions, the deadliest highway in Connecticut was a somewhat surprising find: U.S. 6, which runs east to west across the state parallel and concurrent to I-84. I-95 and I-91 rounded out the top three in summer fatalities.
What makes Connecticut highways dangerous?
The short answer is speed. At high speeds, drivers have less time to react and can more easily lose control of their vehicles. Speed also makes crashes much deadlier when they do occur. Connecticut's highways also have more than their share of curves and hills, which can limit visibility and make vehicles more difficult to maneuver. Traffic congestion, too, contributes to accident risks, both because of the additional opportunities for a collision and because of the corresponding increase in aggressive driving or road rage.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a sharp increase in defensive driving as people are increasingly dependent on technology to stay in touch, even while they're behind the wheel. In addition, disrupted routines may lead to an increase in falling asleep at the wheel. This is why it's so critical for motorists to drive defensively on the highway: stay alert, keep your eyes on the road, move over when you see a disabled vehicle on the shoulder (if it's safe to do so) and slow down in poor conditions or congested traffic.
You can trust us to fight for your rights
Highway accidents happen fast, and you need to act fast to protect your legal rights in turn. Evidence disappears quickly. Witnesses can be hard to track down. A thorough and immediate investigation is the best way to protect your rights. Especially when you know the insurance company is doing the same thing to protect their own bottom line.
If you've been injured on a highway anywhere in Connecticut, don't go up against the insurance company on your own. Call the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone & Morelli today for your free consultation with an experienced attorney. We'll get to the bottom of what happened and take legal action to protect your rights and help you rebuild your life.