The state of Illinois is home to many dangerous roads. A common factor in these roads’ danger level is the high traffic volume on each of them.
Unsurprisingly, congestion is a leading cause of car accidents. Here are some of the most dangerous roads in Illinois.
Expressways
Stevenson Expressway on I-55 is a highly congested stretch of Chicago plagued by crashes, road debris and even shootings, making it one of the most treacherous roads in Illinois. The Dan Ryan Expressway is a massive road off of I-90 running through Chicago, with a total of 14 lanes. The vast number of vehicles traveling on this road makes it a hotbed for accidents. The Eisenhower Expressway is a 13-mile portion of I-290 that goes through Chicago, Forest Park, Maywood and Hillside. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there are an average of 2,000 crashes on the Eisenhower each year.
Elgin O’Hare Tollway
This 10-mile road begins in Hanover Park and ends west of O’Hare International Airport. While the distance is short, drivers on the Elgin O’Hare Tollway experience severe pile-up crashes, hit-and-runs and wrong-way collisions.
Old Route 66/I-55
This stretch of highway runs diagonally through much of the state of Illinois. I-55 follows a very similar path to Old Route 66 and presents similar collision dangers as the original highway, which earned the nickname “Bloody 66” due to the high incidence of fatalities on the road.
These are just a few of the many dangerous roads in Illinois. These significant threats make cautious and alert driving necessary when traveling in the state.