Fatal car accidents can happen on any road. Drivers should always be wary of the risks that they face. This is part of the reason why defensive driving is so important. Drivers who can anticipate the mistakes that others make may be able to avoid injurious crashes.

Some roads are unquestionably more hazardous than others. Driving on the most dangerous roads in West Virginia is a risk in and of itself. These are a few of the top results from a recent study. The study in question analyzed statistics from 2000 to 2019. These findings were released last year, in 2022.

I-81

Interstate 81 in Martinsburg is often considered the most dangerous stretch of road in the state. The primary danger exists between Exit No. 8 and Exit No. 13. On this stretch of road, there were 31 total fatalities caused by 26 accidents during the period analyzed by researchers.

I-77

Interstate 77 is second on the list, between Beckley Road and Eads Mill Road. There were 27 deaths on this stretch of highway, occurring as a result of 22 crashes.

US-60

US-60 runs through South Charleston. There were 24 deaths in 22 crashes on this road during the period in question, ranking it third on the list. These crashes happened between the Richmond Street exit and I-64.

WV-16

Finally, there were 22 crashes, leading to 23 deaths, on WV-16 in Beckley. These accidents occurred between the Cross Street exit to the Maxwell Hill Road exit.

Why are these interstates so dangerous?

These roads experience higher-than-average traffic levels, so there are more chances for serious accidents. But there is also a correlation between speed and the odds that someone will suffer fatal injuries in an accident. Since interstates have higher speed limits, accidents that do occur on these roads are more likely to be fatal.