Most Dangerous Roads in California

California’s vast highway network spans over 16,600 miles of state-maintained roads and connects some of the nation’s most populous cities. While this infrastructure is essential for travel and commerce, certain roads have earned reputations as particularly dangerous. Understanding which routes pose the greatest risks—and why—can help you stay safer on California roads.

California’s Deadliest Highways

Several factors make certain California roads more dangerous than others: high traffic volume, challenging terrain, extreme weather, and driver behavior all contribute to elevated crash rates.

Interstate 15 (I-15)

I-15 has been identified as one of the deadliest highways not just in California, but in the entire country. The route connects Southern California to Las Vegas and sees heavy weekend traffic from tourists and heavy freight traffic throughout the week.

The deadliest stretch sits between Exits 138 and 129 near Hesperia—a 4.5-mile segment through the Cajon Pass that claimed 19 lives over a three-year period. This area combines steep terrain, frequent fog, and heavy truck traffic into a dangerous mix. In 2022 alone, 22 of the 48 deaths in San Bernardino County on I-15 involved speeding.

The long, straight desert stretches between Victorville and Las Vegas present different dangers. Clear visibility and dry conditions tempt drivers to exceed the 70 mph speed limit, while driver fatigue from monotonous terrain contributes to crashes.

State Route 99 (Highway 99)

SR-99 is frequently cited as California’s most dangerous highway per mile. Running through the Central Valley from Los Angeles to Red Bluff, this 424-mile highway has consistently ranked among the nation’s deadliest roads.

Between 2018 and 2022, Highway 99 saw 445 deaths—averaging 89 fatalities per year. When measured by distance, this translates to approximately 62 fatal accidents per 100 miles, one of the highest rates in the country.

Several factors contribute to Highway 99’s deadly reputation. The highway is considered one of the darkest major roads in the United States, with poor lighting contributing to approximately 40% of deaths. The aging infrastructure includes narrow lanes and limited shoulders. Heavy agricultural and commercial truck traffic mixes with passenger vehicles, and tule fog during winter months can reduce visibility to near zero.

Fresno sees the highest concentration of fatalities along Highway 99, followed by segments through Modesto, Stockton, and Sacramento.

Interstate 5 (I-5)

As California’s primary north-south artery, I-5 stretches nearly 800 miles from the Mexican border to Oregon. In 2022, the highway recorded 128 fatalities—making it California’s deadliest highway by total deaths.

Dangerous segments include San Diego County, where 110 people were killed in 99 fatal accidents over a multi-year period, the “Grapevine” section near Tejon Pass with steep grades, sharp curves, and extreme weather, Sacramento where the five-mile segment crossing I-80 and the American River sees over three fatalities annually, and Los Angeles where a 28-mile stretch recorded 28 fatal crashes in a single study period.

The highway’s length, heavy truck traffic, and passage through diverse terrain—from desert to mountains to urban corridors—create varied hazards throughout its route.

Interstate 10 (I-10)

Running from Santa Monica to the Arizona border, I-10 experiences some of California’s heaviest traffic, particularly through the Los Angeles area. One study found a 44-mile stretch through San Bernardino accumulated 36 crashes and 39 fatalities.

I-10 in Riverside County ranks among the nation’s deadliest highway segments, with 54 fatal crashes recorded in recent years. Factors include enormous traffic volume, frequent lane changes, fast-moving freight trucks, rapid population growth in the Inland Empire, and ongoing construction zones.

State Route 138

Known locally as “Pearblossom Highway,” “Blood Alley,” and “Death Road,” SR-138 connects I-15 and I-5 to Palmdale and Lancaster. Popular Mechanics has named it one of America’s 10 Most Dangerous Roads.

The highway’s design creates inherent hazards: tight curves and steep grades, narrow lanes with limited shoulders, abrupt elevation changes, and startling drop-offs. These features combine to produce approximately ten fatal accidents annually along this relatively short route.

Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1)

California’s iconic coastal route offers stunning views—but those views come with risks. The two-lane highway runs along cliffs with minimal guardrails, creating dangers from driver distraction from scenic views, limited passing opportunities leading to risky overtaking, potential for rockslides above and drop-offs below, mixing of tourist traffic unfamiliar with the road and local commuters, and fog that can suddenly reduce visibility.

Sierra Highway

The Sierra Highway, which includes portions of SR-14, US-395, and SR-89, connects Los Angeles to South Lake Tahoe. The section running through the Santa Clarita Valley has the state’s highest number of crashes per mile—approximately three fatal crashes per mile annually.

Dangerous Urban Corridors

Beyond highway segments, certain urban roads consistently rank among California’s most dangerous.

Interstate 405 in Los Angeles. Widely considered the busiest freeway in the nation, I-405 runs along the south and west borders of Los Angeles near three major airports. Congestion, out-of-town drivers unfamiliar with exits, and last-minute lane changes contribute to frequent accidents.

US-101 through San Jose. Nearly 25% of all traffic deaths in San Jose occur on the US-101 section running through the city.

Highway 17 in the San Jose area. Blind curves, narrow shoulders, and wildlife entering the roadway make this route particularly treacherous for drivers unfamiliar with its hazards.

What Makes These Roads Dangerous

California accident statistics reveal common factors across dangerous roads.

Speeding. Long, straight stretches encourage drivers to exceed limits, while high speeds on curvy mountain roads create additional hazards. Speeding is implicated in roughly one-third of all California crashes.

Impaired driving. Alcohol and drug impairment remain significant factors, particularly on routes connecting entertainment destinations like Las Vegas.

Distracted driving. Scenic routes encourage drivers to look at views rather than the road, while urban congestion leads to phone use during slow traffic.

Infrastructure issues. Aging roads with poor lighting, narrow lanes, and inadequate shoulders increase crash severity.

Weather. Fog in the Central Valley, extreme heat in desert regions, and winter conditions in mountain passes all contribute to accidents.

Driver fatigue. Long-distance routes through monotonous terrain lead to drowsy driving.

Protecting Yourself on Dangerous Roads

While you can’t control road conditions or other drivers, you can reduce your risk by staying alert and avoiding distractions especially on high-risk routes, obeying speed limits even when traffic seems to encourage faster driving, avoiding driving impaired and watching for signs of impairment in other drivers, adjusting for conditions including weather, visibility, and traffic volume, taking breaks on long drives to combat fatigue, and knowing the route before you drive so you’re not making last-minute decisions.

When Accidents Happen on Dangerous Roads

If you’re injured in an accident on a dangerous California road, you may have a claim against the negligent driver who caused your crash. California’s negligence laws allow accident victims to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.

In some cases, dangerous road conditions themselves may contribute to accidents. When poor road design, inadequate signage, missing guardrails, or other infrastructure failures cause or worsen crashes, government entities responsible for maintaining roads may share liability. These claims have special requirements, including a shorter statute of limitations of just six months to file a government claim.

Our California personal injury lawyers have experience handling accidents on California’s most dangerous roads. We investigate crash causes, identify all responsible parties, and fight for full compensation.

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