What’s that one stretch of road that you’re scared of going down, afraid of what might happen if your vehicle breaks down?
It turns out one highway in Alabama has made a recent survey of America’s most feared road trips.
U.S. 431, which snakes through the extreme eastern half of the state, checks in at No. 22 in a survey recently conducted by Gunther Mitsubishi of Coconut Creek, Fla.
The dealer commissioned QuestionPro to conduct a survey of 3,000 regular roadtrippers, asking them to rank which routes in each state across America they fear breaking down on the most.
The top spot was garnered by U.S. 285 in New Mexico, which passes through desert regions and has large stretches without access to fuel or services. For roughly the same reasons, California 190, the Death Valley Road, made the No. 2 spot, and Texas’ U.S. 90 came in third, as no one wants to be stuck with an overheated engine in the middle of the desert.
U.S. 431 is a north-south highway that starts in Meridianville, snaking down the eastern side of Alabama and hugging the Georgia line for a portion until it ends in Dothan. It passes through several Alabama cities, including Huntsville, Gadsden, Anniston, Phenix City, Opelika and Eufaula.
It made the list because of the dangers of breakdown in summer and a lack of emergency breakdown lanes or designated areas for stopping, which forces drivers to contend with passing cars in close proximity. And though it connects several cities, there are large sections without gas or amenities, the survey stated.
“The scorching temperatures in Alabama can escalate to extreme levels, leading to potential health risks for stranded motorists,” the survey stated. “Additionally, the absence of readily available services and facilities exacerbates the challenges faced by stranded drivers, who may have to wait for an extended period before receiving assistance.”
