Why Some Highways Are Labeled As A Safety Corridor But Others Aren't

The higher the speed, the higher the risk of a serious, life-threatening situation if things go wrong. Our nation's highways are one of our greatest resources, but due to their higher speed limit (and the chance to far exceed it), they can also be quite dangerous if you don't drive safely. You'd think that all highways are considered safety corridors — we all want to get where we're going, on-time and unscathed — but actually, this denotes a stretch of roadway where responsible driving is often lacking. And the fact that most people think speeding is acceptable because everyone else is doing it doesn't help the situation.

Three of the most dangerous roads in the world fall within America's borders, but that doesn't mean there are plenty of other high-risk areas within it. In fact, when we say stretches of highway, that's only part of it — local roads can be designated as safety corridors, too.

So why are some highways labeled as a safety corridor but others aren't? It has to do with whether statistics indicate certain stretches are hotbeds for impaired/irresponsible driving, and their speed limits are strictly enforced — either by increased patrols by law enforcement or stricter fines if someone runs afoul of the law. Let's zero in specifically on how this plays out on safety corridors around our vast country.

What exactly is a safety corridor? According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, they're "highway segments that have more crashes, injuries, and deaths than would ordinarily be expected." Other states' language mirrors that in one way or another, including stretches that have a higher rate of serious injury and fatal crashes than the individual state's average. Speeding, impaired driving, driving without a seatbelt (people still do that?) are the main factors behind these crashes, too.

Safety corridors are usually designated by signage warning drivers that there will be zero tolerance for running afoul of the law. They may also have enhanced signage in general, an increased law enforcement visibility and presence, as well as emergency response within a closer proximity. Pertinently, speeding 10 mph over the limit will cost you more in some states than others. Some states outline on their respective websites where these corridors are, too. But hey, nothing beats simply looking ahead and reading signage as you tick off the miles down the road.

Do safety corridors actually cut down on brutal crashes and ne'er-do-well driving? Based on one case study in Ohio, they generally do, though the wording and statistical aspect is a bit confusing to digest. Basically, the more years of data and/or data from similar stretches in other states help clarify this point. Some highways are labeled as safety corridors but others aren't all comes down to the increased likelihood of bad crashes happening on them, and increased enforcement as well as focused signage is there to reduce it.