In the late 1940s, a plan to build safe, efficient and free interstate highways was proposed to and approved by the United States Congress. It took 3 years, but President Eisenhower took the initiative to get the massive project started. Interstate Highway 95 is an interstate highway that runs along the East Coast of the United States. Since then, I-95 has gained the title of the deadliest highway in the United States, but what caused this?
In 1957, construction on I-95 began in Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike, Virginia. Over the next 60 years, parts of the road would undergo construction, leaving unfinished sections across the East Coast. In New Jersey, a gap in I-95 after the Somerset Freeway project was canceled prompted the government to build an interchange to connect I-95. The project was finally completed in September 2018.
At 70 years old, the highway is one of the oldest interstate routes in the US. But what makes this road so dangerous? Ever since the Interstate Highway System was proposed, car technology has advanced exponentially. New cars today feature airbags, lane-changing systems and many other safety features. Drivers today are heavily distracted by phones and other things happening around them. According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), “Distracted driving is dangerous, claiming 3,208 lives in 2024,” and that roughly 30% of all car accidents are caused by distracted driving. Cars are safer than they have ever been, but it’s the driver who makes the decisions about what the car does. Aggressive drivers, speeding, and distracted driving all contribute to making I-95 one of the deadliest roads in the US. According to ABC News, each year, over 250 people die in car accidents on I-95 across the East Coast.
Nathan Kankanala is a junior at Panther Creek High who regularly drives on I-95 on his way to work after school. When asked about his experiences on I-95, he shared, “Driving on [I-95] is crazy. I’ve seen a lot of things that really make me wonder why some people have licenses in the first place.” He continues, “I once looked out the window and saw someone feeding their kid while driving. That was probably one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen.” Kankanala has also witnessed major accidents on I-95. He shares, “Even with newer cars, accidents seem to be increasing. Since it’s [I-95] a major highway, even one accident can cause a lot of delays. I’ve been late to work countless times because of these accidents.”
Jennifer Rothwell, a mother of two high school sons, also shared her concerns about I-95. As a parent of teenage drivers, she finds the highway especially nerve-wracking. “It’s honestly one of my fears now that my boys are starting to drive more,” Rothwell said. “I-95 is so busy all the time, and it only takes one tiny mistake to cause an accident.”
Rothwell emphasized how driver behavior worries her more than the road itself. “The road isn’t causing anyone problems- it’s the people driving on it,” she explained. “I’ve seen people texting, speeding, weaving through traffic…things that could easily be avoided.” Like many parents, Rothwell believes that while modern cars are safer, “…technology can only do so much. It’s the driver that has the responsibility to keep roads safe.”
I-95 isn’t dangerous because it’s old or heavily used, but because of the way people drive on it. Even with all the advancements in car safety, without safe driving, these features become useless. As more drivers gear up their engines, it’s clear that staying focused and responsible behind the wheel matters more than ever.
