The Watterson Expressway: Louisville’s Most Dangerous Road
The latest data from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reveals that the road considered to have the most crashes in Louisville is Interstate 264, or the Watterson Expressway.
Interstate 264, which runs in a circle on the southern side of Louisville, has had more crashes than any other road in the city. In Jefferson County, 19,064 crashes were recorded between 2013 and 2015.
Other major roadways in Louisville are Interstate 64, Interstate 65, Interstate 71, and Interstate 265. The Watterson Expressway has them all beat.
In Bullitt County, Kentucky Highway 44 topped the survey, with 6,830 accidents between 2013 and 2015. According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, this is the highest number of crashes for any road outside Jefferson County.
Bullitt County Sheriff’s Deputy Scotty McGaha described Kentucky Highway 44 as a state highway connecting Shepherdsville and Mt. Washington. Some of the things contributing to the high volume of accidents on Highway 44 include a high volume of traffic, a narrow roadway, speeding, and driver inattention.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokeswoman Andrea Clifford said that the likelihood of a crash increases when more vehicles are on the road and can come in contact with each other.
Other notable statistics:
- In Oldham County, Interstate 71 was the scene of 2,876 accidents between 2013 and 2015.
- In Nelson County, U.S. Highway 31E had 3,933 crashes between 2013 and 2015.
- In Shelby County, U.S. Highway 60 had 4,742 crashes between 2013 and 2015.
- In Spencer County, Kentucky Highway 44 had 840 accidents between 2013 and 2015.
- During the first half of 2015, an estimated 16,225 people are cut short as a result of car crashes in the country.
Road Traffic Accidents
It has been observed that the most dangerous roads are those congested in traffic. Traffic contributes to road crashes, reckless driving, and road rage. The statistics worldwide provide that approximately 1.25 million lives are lost each year as a result of road traffic accidents.
People involved in road crashes that suffer injuries, sometimes resulting in death, are most at risk when they are pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Without any decisive action from the government and participation from motorists and other road users, road traffic crashes are projected to become the seventh leading cause of death by 2030.
As a Kentucky Accident Attorney, I am alarmed by the increasing number of wrecks in the state. We may have a tougher DUI bill, or stricter distracted driving laws, but if we don’t adhere to any of them, the legal provisions are useless. So, every time we drive, let’s always obey the rules, share the road, focus on the wheel, observe safety precautions, and keep calm while driving.
