US Highway 17
Winchester, VA to Fort Myers, FL (Southeast Coastal Corridor)
US Highway 17 runs nearly the full length of the US East Coast from Virginia through the Carolinas, Georgia, and into Florida. The highway passes through a mix of resort communities, rural coastal terrain, and urban areas, creating an unpredictable traffic environment. Poor lighting on rural sections, sharp curves through coastal wetland terrain, no median barriers on two-lane segments, and a persistent mix of local, tourist, and commercial truck traffic have given US-17 one of the highest accident rates of any US highway. South Carolina sections near Myrtle Beach and Florida sections near Jacksonville are particularly hazardous.
Length
1100 miles
1100 miles
Risk Rating
HIGH
HIGH
Risk Factors
Poor lighting on rural two-lane sections
Sharp curves through coastal wetland terrain
No median barrier on two-lane segments — head-on exposure
Mix of slow local traffic and high-speed through trucks
Tourist and seasonal traffic surges
Wet pavement from coastal rainfall and fog
Notorious Segments
- Georgetown to Myrtle Beach, SC (resort traffic on rural road)
- Jacksonville FL approaches — high-volume urban-rural transition
- Georgia coastal sections — unmarked curves and poor lighting
Connected Hubs
Regions
United States
South
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida