By Dave Bean, Associate Editor, FMW
July 4, 2022
With the arrival of summer, we’ve apparently reached the point where most of us feel like it’s ok to take to the road again and enjoy that much delayed trip to points far and wide. For many of us, that means organizing a cross-country jaunt with family or friends and heading out to one or more of America’s most well-traveled iconic road trip routes. Many people, however, are so enthusiastically ready to bust out of their home offices and pods, that they start the party while on the road. And this is where the problem begins and, unfortunately for many, ends.
A recent study conducted by Forbes Advisor looked into the various causes of fatalities on America’s most popular road trip routes and determined that more often than not, it was drinking and/or drug use that led to the end of the road for many people – permanently. Forbes Advisor utilized data gathered from 2015 through 2020 by NHTSA from their Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). The name of each route was provided by Hertz.
Among the most favored driving routes, Colorado Ski Adventure, which covers more than 500 miles starting in Denver and ending at Steamboat Springs, leads the pack with 54% of road deaths blamed on driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. While this route is the shortest of the twenty-three specified road trips in the study, it’s a very challenging drive that requires total focus under the best of circumstances.
Another iconic route where more than 50% of crash deaths can be attributed to drunk or drug driving is Surfing California, which winds its way along Coast Highway 1, from San Diego to San Francisco for over 600 miles. This drive meanders, quite often, on very treacherous roads caught between ocean and mountains and is no place to traverse a vehicle while impaired.
The third most deadly course to drive while under the influence is The Rocky Mountains Road, which weaves a path of greater than 1500 miles from Montana to New Mexico. Almost 45% of road fatalities here are attributed to the effects of alcohol or drugs while behind the wheel. This route is the most highly elevated uninterrupted paved thoroughfare in North America, reaching an altitude of 12,183 feet. Throw in weather conditions that can quickly change no matter the season and it’s probably best to take this trip as attentive as possible.
Also among the leading US road trip routes in this ignominious category include a journey from Utah to California, two classic road trips in Texas and one in The Dakotas. Included below are the top ten most deadly drives to take while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, according to the Forbes Advisor study.
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- Colorado Ski Adventure (54%)
- Surfing California (51%)
- The Rocky Mountains Road (45%)
- Roads Paved with Gold – Utah to California – (44%)
- Deep in the Heart of Texas (43%)
- Totally Texas (43%)
- The Dakotas (43%)
- The Stargazing States – Wyoming to Nebraska – (42%)
- The Best of the Midwest (41%)
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- Pacific Coast Paradise (41%)
While we’ve heard the warnings repeated over and over again since we received our first driver’s license, apparently it can’t be emphasized enough for some. If it’s a party you’re looking for on that long scenic trek across the US, it’s best to wait until you reach your destination to get things started, rather than starting on the road.
