Why You Should Be Extra Cautious While Taking A Road Trip On Mississippi's Highway 49

Driving from pristine beaches along lush tree-lined roadways, passing miles and miles of rolling, intensely green farmland and bayous dense with vegetation sounds like a dream road trip. Add in small towns and mouth-watering Southern food, and you've got yourself a magical Mississippi vacation on U.S. Highway 49. However, there's a catch to driving one of the state's main highways. In a survey of over 3,000 Americans commissioned by Gunther Mitsubishi, U.S. Highway 49 in Mississippi ranked as the 10th most feared road in the country.

U.S. 49 in Mississippi is one of the state's main arteries, running from Gulfport on the southern coast to Piggott in Arkansas. Within Mississippi, the road passes through artsy Hattiesburg, the Mississippi state capital of Jackson, and Yazoo City, the gateway to the Delta. At Yazoo, the road gives you a choice: Head west through Belzoni or right through Greenwood. Either way, you'll pop out near Clarksdale, the Home of the Blues and a must-stop on any music lover's travel bucket list. There's a lot of fun to be had on this thrilling road trip, but it helps to be aware of potential dangers, too.

It may not come as a surprise that one of Mississippi's roads strikes fear into drivers. After all, the state has one of the highest rates of motor vehicle deaths in the U.S., as reported by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Sadly, there is no shortage of accidents on Highway 49, with many resulting in injury or even death. Most involve more than one vehicle, meaning that even if you're driving safely, you can't guarantee everyone else is doing the same.

What is fuelling the high number of incidents on Highway 49 and Mississippi's roads? Impaired, reckless and distracted driving, speeding, and not wearing a seatbelt are all contributing factors. On top of that, some of Mississippi's driving laws (or lack of driving laws) are unusual. Talking on the phone while driving is not illegal (though texting and posting on social media is), and it's not prohibited to drink alcohol while driving. Yes, while driving, though Mississippi enforces a fairly standard blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.08% for most adults.

If you do choose to explore U.S. Highway 49 through Mississippi, there are many things you can do to stay as safe as possible. Standard practices — wearing seatbelts, not talking on the phone or texting while driving, and never driving under the influence — are key. It is also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the five most dangerous mistakes you can make while driving before heading out on any epic road trip.

Don't let the dangerous road label put you off driving this route, as there's so much to see and do along the way. If you're heading north, your road trip will start in Gulfport. This sunny city is a fantastic place for a fun and affordable vacation, with free attractions like the Gulfport Arts Center and Jones Park.

After passing the verdant landscape of De Soto National Forest, you'll reach Hattiesburg. Follow the public art trail in the so-called "City of 100 Murals" to enjoy a colorful and free walking tour before driving across Mississippi's flat, green landscapes to reach Jackson (pictured). Dive into the area's history at the excellent Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home, and wander around the historic neighborhood of Belhaven.

Heading past Yazoo City, you'll enter the vast fertile plains of the Mississippi Delta, where one of the main attractions is Clarksdale. The town is at the infamous crossroads of highways 49 and 61, where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil — or so the local story goes. A day in Clarksdale is heaven for any Blues fan: visit the Delta Blues Museum and the achingly cool Cat Head record store, and feel like you're walking in the footsteps of legends on the Walk of Fame. Round off your night in Clarksdale at Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero Blues Club, a brilliant celebrity-owned business to drop in on. With delicious southern food and live music four nights a week, it's a must-stop. Just be careful out on the road.