Have You Driven the Most Dangerous Road in Oklahoma?

The running joke across this part of the country is that Oklahoma drivers take things a little on the slow side. While it may be true in some parts of the state, there is one stretch of highway that far exceeds any idea of safe or responsible travel.

It is considered Oklahoma's lawless Autobahn highway.

On most long stretches of un-scenic highway across the state, traffic typically flows a little faster since there's nothing between point A and point B.

Examples:

• I-44 from Lawton to Wichita Falls
• US-62 between Lawton and Altus
• I-40 from Shawnee to Arkansas
• US-270 between El Reno and Hooker
• I-40 again between El Reno and Texas

Absolutely nothing to look at. Just desolate blacktop and concrete surrounded by huge expanses of grass. I-44 between OKC and Tulsa is exactly the same.

While there are a handful of exits on OK's Northeast I-44 corridor, the madness starts the moment you enter the turnpike at I-35 and it doesn't subside until you hit the I-244/Gilcrease Loop around Tulsa.

87 Miles of Free-for-All

Here's how this stretch of road usually goes...

First, there is a ton of traffic leaving OKC any given night, even more during a holiday weekend. There is also a constant hoard of truck traffic moving goods all over the country.

I don't think anyone realizes how much of our stuff is driven through the Sooner State.

The posted speed limit is 75MPH but the actual speeds vary greatly between 55 MPH and 95 MPH all the way. With only two lanes and plenty of construction zones, the traffic backs up for a mile or two and then completely disappears in the next moment.

87 miles of constant speed up/slow down bi-polar driving and there's generally not a single law enforcement officer to be found. No blue or red lights and no cruisers set along the highway as a speeding deterrent.

Just Hot Nasty Speed and Close Calls

As you get closer to Tulsa, I-44 opens up into a six-lane highway. I'm fairly sure the speed limit increases to 80 MPH here, but everyone cruises 55 MPH to 95 MPH like normal.

It's not until you smell the sweet and pungent Tulsa refineries that traffic begins to break off into separate directions. Some head East, others go downtown, and most continue up I-44 looking to make their way through Tulsa's lousy highway system of unreadable traffic signs and unrelenting construction detours.

I-44 from OKC to Tulsa remains the scariest, white-knuckle drive in the Sooner State.

Say a little prayer for every traveler taking on this road later today and tomorrow.