If you’ve ever driven in the Louisville area, you’ll notice a lot of confusion, accidents and traffic delays on I-64, I-65 and I-71, BUT there is the dangerous interstate of all interstates!  These Louisville freeways don’t have anything on I-24, which passes through western parts of the bluegrass state.

It ranks No. 5 nationally as one of the most dangerous interstates, it’s none other than I-24!  It passes through parts of Kentucky, as well as Illinois, Tennessee and Georgia. And it can be very deadly.

A recent study conducted by Assurance IQ, found I-24 as the fifth most dangerous interstate in the US. The dangerous interstate runs through parts of Kentucky. I-24 gets the reputation by having an average of 18.3 fatal crashes every 100 miles.

I-24 angles southeast from the Western Kentucky Parkway along a rural course toward Hopkinsville, passing to the south of the Christian County seat. The Edward T. Breathitt (Pennyrile) Parkway (future I-169) extends from Hopkinsville to tie into I-24 north of Fort Campbell and Oak Grove.

The number of miles the interstate stretches in Tennessee alone is greater than the combined interstate mileage in Illinois, Kentucky and Georgia. Beginning near Marion, Illinois, I-24 stretches through cities including Nashville and Chattanooga before concluding in a northern area of Georgia, Dade County. I-24 is one of the shortest interstates in Georgia, with only two exits in the state and a span of less than five miles.

(Video courtesy of Modern Muscle)

When was the Kentucky portion of I-24 built?
The Kentucky interstate route was planned in 1958, with the first groundbreaking in Lyon County by December of 1967. The final segment of the freeway in the state was completed and opened by May of 1980.

How dangerous is it to drive in Kentucky?
Nationally, Kentucky is the No. 22 most dangerous state for driving, with 8.23 fatal crashes per 100 miles on average, according to Assurance IQ. Surrounding states are balanced in terms of dangerous driving, with some surpassing Kentucky and others trailing behind.

The top five most dangerous interstates include:

I-4: With an average of 34.0 fatal crashes per 100 miles, I-4, located solely in Florida, stretches over 130 miles, and connects major cities like Tampa, Orlando, and Daytona Beach.

I-35E: With 27.9 fatal crashes per 100 miles, I-35E is the eastern portion of I-35, connecting the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.

I-45: Connecting Texas cities from Galveston to Dallas, I-45 averages 24.6 fatal crashes per 100 miles.

I-30: Stretching from Arkansas to the Dallas Fort Worth area of Texas, I-30 sees 23.5 fatal crashes per 100 miles.

I-24: With 18.3 fatal crashes per 100 miles, I-24 connects parts of Kentucky, Tennessee and Illinois.