America's Deadliest Roads

(CBS)  In our "Where America Stands" series, CBS News is looking at a broad spectrum of issues facing the country in the new decade.

The Fourth of July weekend is coming and that means a lot of Americans will be hitting the road. AAA says nearly 35 million motorists will travel 50 miles or more during the weekend, up more than 17 percent from last year.

CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg reports on the most dangerous roads in the land.

(Scroll down for a list of the five most dangerous U.S. highways)

Taylor Elmore's parents describe their son as a conscientious, trustworthy teenager.

"The wonderful thing about Taylor, if Taylor told you he was going do something Taylor always did it," Greg Elmore said.

Taylor Elmore was driving eastbound on a rural section of Interstate 26 in South Carolina to visit a college.

"He said he could call as soon as he got to Charleston," Greg Elmore said.

But that call never came. Last summer, on a perfectly clear August morning, Taylor Elmore lost control of his Chrysler Sebring, ran off the road and into a tree. Greg Elmore, a retired Air Force master sergeant, demanded answers.

"When I was in Iraq, I was in a bomb blast that killed 47, and I thought that would be the worst thing that would ever happen to me in my life," said Greg Elmore. "But I came home to where I was born and raised, and the worst thing happened here."

In fact, Elmore would discover there were five more fatalities last year alone in the same 20-mile stretch of road just west of Charleston.

On roads like I-26, an average of 100 Americans are killed every day, and there's little margin for error. You take your eye off the road for just one second, it could cost you your life.

So what makes a bad road? Experts say it starts with blind curves, bad grading, a lack of center or side barriers and, in the case of I-26, it's a straight, tree-lined shot with steep slopes along the shoulder.

"We've got some work to do on our roads," John Horsley, the executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. "Especially rural two-lane roads, that's where 60 percent of fatalities take place."

Two of the deadliest two-lane roads that fail CBS News' report card are:
• U.S. Highway 2 in Montana, which contributes to that state having the highest highway fatality rate in the nation, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• U.S. 129 in North Carolina, which AAA Carolinas called "the best chance of being killed" in 2008

But U.S. interstates are deadly as well.

Interstate 95 in Florida has one of the worst rates of deaths per mile in the country, according to the state Department of Transportation.

On Interstate 15 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, more than a thousand lives have been lost in 15 years, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation and Scripps Howard.

And on I-26 in South Carolina, a total of 325 people died in 286 wrecks during the last decade, according to the state Department of Public Safety.

An examination of I-26 by The Post and Courier newspaper in Charleston, S.C.

"If there has been a series of accidents in a stretch of road that demonstrate that improvement is needed, unless and until you can make those improvements, people are at risk," Horsley said.

The Problem

Making the problem even worse, Horsley said, is a lack of adequate safety legislation.

"There are 20 states that don't have primary seatbelt laws," said Horsley. "There are 24 states that don't have anything on the books to discourage either texting while driving or talking on your cell phone."

The Solution

"A lot of states are implementing cable barriers in the medians, rumble strips and many other strategies to improve safety," Victor Mendez, the government official who oversees the Federal Highway Administration.

Mendez said the stimulus package Congress passed last year is part of the solution.

"Right now, this summer, we will be improving 30,000 miles of highway throughout the nation," said Mendez. "That's about 10 cross-country trips."

(CBS)

That is of little comfort to Greg Elmore, who's determined to hold his state accountable, a father and veteran still fighting a war, this one, back at home.

(At left, Taylor Elmore)

"If we could go back a year from now and see that accidents have dropped along this stretch of road, then we would know that we've made a difference," said Elmore, "and Taylor's continuing to make a difference in people's lives as well."

Top 5 Most Dangerous U.S. Highways

The Daily Beast analyzed data the National Highway Safety Administration collected between 2004 and 2008 and published a list of the 100 deadliest interstates in the United States based on the number of fatal accidents that happened in individual states. Here are the top five from that list:

• #1: Interstate 95 in Florida
In-state miles: 382.15
Fatal accidents: 662
Fatal accidents per mile: 1.73
Total fatalities: 765

• #2: Interstate 76 in New Jersey
In-state miles: 3.04
Fatal accidents: 5
Fatal accidents per mile: 1.64
Total fatalities: 6

• #3: Interstate 4 in Florida
In-state miles: 132.39
Fatal accidents: 209
Fatal accidents per mile: 1.58
Total fatalities: 234

• #4: Interstate 15 in California
In-state miles: 287.26
Fatal accidents: 437
Fatal accidents per mile: 1.52
Total fatalities: 506

• #5: Interstate 10 in California
In-state miles: 242.54
Fatal accidents: 341
Fatal accidents per mile: 1.41
Total fatalities: 387

[Ordflyer]

I-95 in Florida is so dangerous that I kiss the off ramp every time I survive it. That road is crazy - you have grannies in the left and right lanes going 55 and then you have Russian Mafiosos driving the Mercedes' at 100+ mph in both the left AND Right lane.

If the Florida Highway Patrol REALLY wanted to save lives they would ticket and arrest the people ROARING UP THE RIGHT LANE! You literally cannot get on the freeway as someone in the 700 series BMW is roaring up the RIGHT lane at 100+++ mph...

God help you if you drive on I-95 in Florida....

[kettyrobinson]

That's true America's roads are too busy. It's quite dangerous too.
http://www.thetop10guide.net/top-10-most-dangerous-roads-in-the-world.html

[Whilemom47]

I drive the I 15 to the I 40 to go to Laughlin, Na. The I 15 is bad because the drivers are in such a big hurry to get to where they are going. Their minds are on how fast can I get there and what they are going to do when they do. That is the main problem. People need to be responsible for their actions. I have seen people driving as fast as 90 - 100 mile per hour. They just want to be at their destination NOW. They are the ones who weave in and out of traffic who cause the crashes. If you get on the freeway and set your cruse control to 70mph you will get there just as fast as the person who drives eraticaly. I make this trip about 4 times a year and I have seen some real wreckless drivers and wonder to my self, "are they going to make it to where they are going or is a patrolman going to be there to pull them over." It is scary out there but if you use common sense and steer clear of those who are out of control you will probably make it to your destination. I once was so concerned about a driver that kept speeding and then slowing down that I pulled over and called 911, because I just knew he was going to kill somebody. A few miles up the road there he was just in front of a patrol officers car. As I passed I said a prayer that he wouldn't now be a pissed off eratic driver. When you get behind the wheel of your car it is always a good thing if you pray that you get to where you are going.

[parisdakar]

Yeah, it's the road's fault. It couldn't be that people don't pay enough attantion and drive too fast.

[expat76]

@billsdiggs

The "god given right to sue" was sarcasm you moron. As for me being jewish I got a good laugh out of that. I couldn't be any less jewish.

[expat76]

Must be a slow news day. Not enough shark attacks to report? With the news media telling us every day what we are supposed to be afraid of it's a miracle Americans ever leave the house without a helmet. After all it's a big scary world and you never know when a piano might fall on you.

But more on topic, I ride a scooter every day in a country that has some of the WORST drivers in the entire world. I wear a helmet and take precautions but what makes it safe is the fact that for me there are absolutely no rules here. I can ride on the sidewalk, I can run red lights, I can operate just like I'm a bicycle and therfore I operate outside of the system to great advantage. I would never dream of riding on two wheels in the US where you can't even lane split much less ride on a sidewalk because everyone is so paranoid of getting sued (god help the poor sob who accidently knocks over a pedestrian with a scooter). In the US we have to protect each others God given right to sue. All these rules and regulations in the name of safety are really just about reducing liablity. I'll take third world chaos (we used to call that freedom) over the first world nanny/lawyer state any day.

[yorbles]

Have we all become so lame that we need for the government to pass more laws to let us know if we are safe enough?I am an adult,I have the right to the pursuit of happiness,and if that means pushing it to the line on my scooter with no helmet that is what I will do.You already let them pass laws that allow them to raise your children,what next?statute xxxxxx7 to let them wipe your ass for you?jesus wept. yorbles

[catwreck]

Feel free to ride without a helmet all you like. It is your head.

However, before doing so, I think that the rest of us have the right to insist that you purchase enough insurance so that we don't get stuck with the medical bills you incur, or the cost of supporting your family when you are no longer able to do so.

As an adult, you do have the right to pursue happiness. You do *not* have the right to do so at everyone else's expense.

[noloyalisti]

America's deadliest road is Wall Street. The "free-market" barons have caused more death and destruction than any other road.

[BigAssFan]

DUH....remove the human element altogether from the vehicles, which is already happening. Cars will be driving themselves in a decade.

[DaVicar8]

This is exactly the reason I don't let my kids play in the street.