Key Takeaways:
- Jackson is home to the deadliest road segment in the state, with a 15-mile stretch of I-55 recording 31 fatal crashes, nearly double the number of the next-highest road segment.
- Interstate 55 appears three times in the top rankings, with deadly stretches near Jackson, Madison, and Southaven.
- Other dangerous segments include portions of I-20, I-59, and I-10, passing through cities like Meridian, Hattiesburg, and D’Iberville.
Mississippi has over 73,000 miles of highway, serving nearly 3 million residents and providing a gateway to nearby states. I-55 runs north to south, linking the Memphis metro to Jackson and beyond. I-20 and I-59 intersect in the east, running through cities like Meridian and Hattiesburg. Along the Gulf Coast, I-10 serves as an east-west corridor connecting communities from Louisiana to Alabama. While these highways are essential for commerce, commuting, and long-distance travel, they also see some of the state’s most serious crashes.
To find out where fatal crashes happen most often, we analyzed five years of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Using a rolling 15-mile window, we identified and ranked the stretches of Mississippi highway with the highest number of fatal crashes.
Here’s what the data revealed.
Mississippi’s Most Deadly Highway Stretch Found in Jackson
Below is a list of the most deadly 15-mile stretches in Mississippi. For each, we include the highway with approximate start and end points, the city and county they are located in, and the number of fatal crashes recorded during the five-year period.
Interactive Map of Mississippi’s Deadliest Road Stretches
The interactive map below highlights the deadliest stretches identified in our analysis. You can zoom in to explore specific areas or use the map to jump to listed cities across Mississippi.
Deadly Road Stretches in Jackson
The most dangerous road segment in Mississippi is located in the state capital. A 15-mile stretch of I-55 between Elton Road and I-220 in Jackson recorded 31 fatal crashes. This stretch runs through central and northern Jackson and includes interchanges with major routes like I-20 and I-220. It also passes near high-traffic landmarks such as Downtown Jackson, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport. The high activity found in these areas contribute to driving risks.
Jackson appears again in the sixth rank, where a 15-mile segment of I-20 between two points at MS 18 saw 16 fatal crashes. This stretch crosses southwest Jackson and is heavily used by commuters traveling between residential areas, industrial zones, and the I-55 interchange.
Deadly Road Stretches in Meridian and Hattiesburg
In Meridian, a city in eastern Mississippi near the Alabama border, a segment where I-59 and I-20 overlap between Arundel Road and Betts Radcliff Road recorded 20 fatal crashes. This stretch connects to U.S. Route 45 and Highway 39, both major regional routes.
Further south, a 15-mile segment of I-59 in Hattiesburg saw 18 fatal crashes. This stretch runs from Purvis Brooklyn Road to Hardy Street, passing through suburban areas and serving as an access point to the University of Southern Mississippi.
Deadly Road Stretches in North and Central Mississippi
I-55, a major north-south highway appears three times on the list. In north Mississippi, the stretch between Slocum Road and Stateline Road West, covering Hernando to Southaven, tied for third place with 18 fatal crashes. This stretch serves as a commuter route into Memphis, Tennessee.
In central Mississippi, the 15-mile segment of I-55 from Colony Park Boulevard to Heindl Road, near Madison and Canton, saw 14 fatal crashes and tied for eight place in the ranking.
Deadly Road Stretches Along I-10 on the Gulf Coast
Three stretches of I-10, which runs along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, made the list. The deadliest is between Lorraine Road and Old Fort Bayou Road in D’Iberville, with 17 fatal crashes, ranking fifth overall. This road stretch runs near shopping centers, casinos, and residential neighborhoods.
Two other segments also rank in the top 10:
- MS 607 to Gex Drive in Diamondhead with 16 fatal crashes
- MS 57 to Good Hope Street near Ridgeland with 14 fatal crashes
These stretches serve as routes for regional travel, tourism, and local commuting along the Gulf Coast.
Interactive Map of Mississippi’s Deadliest Road Stretches
The interactive map below highlights the deadliest stretches identified in our analysis. You can zoom in to explore specific areas or use the map to jump to listed cities across Mississippi.
Methodology
This study mapped crash data from 2019 to 2023 using the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a federal database maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A rolling 15-mile window was applied across Mississippi’s interstates and highways to identify the segment with the highest concentration of fatal crashes. The process was repeated to continue the ranking.
Please note that the listed start and end points are approximate. In some cases, the stretch may begin slightly before or after the roads mentioned. We used the nearest intersecting road to help readers better visualize the location, but for the most precise location, please refer to the map.
Fair Use Statement
You’re welcome to reference or share this report. We just ask that you please include a link to the original analysis so others can review the full dataset and methodology.