Top 4 Most Dangerous Roads in Illinois

Each year there are over 300,000 car accidents in the state of Illinois. These car crashes produce close to a thousand annual deaths and upwards of 65,000 injuries. With Chicago being one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States, the state of Illinois certainly sees its fair share of car crashes and collisions. Here are the most dangerous roads to travel upon in all of Illinois.

#1. Route 55/Stevenson Expressway

When motorists aren’t dodging thrown rocks, shootings, and toxic spills, the Stevenson Expressway is a magnet for errant drivers and spectacular car accidents. Interstate 55 is renowned for being a paved avenue of mayhem. Over the years, the Stevenson Expressway has seen one deadly car crash after another, from wrecks involving Uber drivers, IDOT trucks, and even a particularly tragic car accident of a victim on her birthday. If you ever find yourself cruising on I-55, do your best to stay alert.

#2. Dan Ryan Expressway

Running through the heart of Chicago, the Dan Ryan Expressway is a freeway branching off of Interstate 90. On any given day the Dan Ryan sees up to 300,000 vehicles travel upon its paved surface. With so much traffic it’s no wonder the Dan Ryan is dangerous. In the last year alone, the Dan Ryan has seen several multi-vehicle crashes, hit-and-runs, motorcycle collisions, car accidents caused by drive-by shootings, and even crashes involving police cruisers. The Dan Ryan Expressway really is the wild, wild west of highways.

#3. Elgin O’Hare Tollway

Illinois Route 390 is known for more than just steep tolls. For such a short stretch of highway, the Elgin O’Hare Tollway sure is dangerous. The 10-mile road has had its fair share of automotive cataclysms. Illinois State Police have seen icy 11-car pileups, deadly hit-and-runs, and simply awful head-on crashes. Nobody wants to be involved in a car accident, but having to pay a hefty toll as well simply adds insult to injury.

#4. Route 66/55

Mile for mile, no other highway in the Prairie State is as dangerous as the infamous Route 55. Once known as “Bloody 66,” the 301 miles of Route 66 have seen it all. Even after much of the old Route 66 was decommissioned and replaced by Route 55, heavy traffic and mayhem still happens on the stretch of road. From wrong-way car collisions to garbage truck crashes to semi-truck roll-overs to tragic accidents involving family vehicles veering into the Vermillion River, Route 55 is as dangerous as they come.