The Deadliest Stretches of I-95 on Connecticut’s Shoreline

This analysis focuses on what many Connecticut residents commonly refer to as “the shoreline” — the corridor of towns like Branford, Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, Waterford/New London, East Haven, and Stonington. It does not include cities such as Stamford, Bridgeport, or Milford, which technically sit on the coast but are usually not part of the identity or conversation when people talk about “the shoreline.”

I-95 is the backbone of Connecticut’s shoreline, carrying more than 100,000 vehicles a day between the New York and Rhode Island borders. It feels routine to anyone who drives it regularly, but beneath that routine is a sobering reality: some shoreline stretches of I-95 are far deadlier than others.

Between 2016 and 2024, the numbers tell a grim story. Westbrook, with only 3.7 miles of interstate, has recorded eight fatal crashes. That’s a fatality rate of more than two deaths per mile. To put that in perspective, it’s one of the highest death densities anywhere along the shoreline. Drivers can cover the Westbrook stretch in just a few minutes, yet in less than a decade it has claimed eight lives.

For comparison, Old Saybrook’s 4.3 miles of I-95 have seen only three fatalities in the same period. It’s a longer stretch but a much safer one, with a per-mile fatality rate that’s more than three times lower than Westbrook’s.

Then there is Stonington, which holds the tragic distinction of the most fatalities on the shoreline overall. Since 2016, 13 people have died along its 6.82-mile stretch. Two of those crashes involved drunk driving. Stonington’s total numbers make it the deadliest shoreline corridor by volume, but when adjusted for distance, Westbrook still comes out worse.

And those aren’t the only dangerous shoreline segments. The data shows a pattern of deadly hotspots:

• Branford: 5 deaths on 6.08 miles (~0.82 deaths per mile).
• Guilford: 8 deaths on 4.9 miles (~1.63 deaths per mile).
• Madison: 3 deaths on 4.1 miles (~0.73 deaths per mile).
• Clinton: 3 deaths on 3.57 miles (~0.84 deaths per mile).
• Old Lyme: 7 deaths on 4.8 miles (~1.46 deaths per mile).
• Waterford & New London: 4 deaths on 5.3 miles (~0.75 deaths per mile).
• East Haven: 2 deaths on just 1.3 miles (~1.54 deaths per mile).

Here are the shoreline’s worst fatality rates per mile (2016–2024):

• Westbrook: ~2.16 deaths per mile (8 deaths, 3.7 miles)
• Stonington: ~1.91 deaths per mile (13 deaths, 6.82 miles)
• East Haven: ~1.54 deaths per mile (2 deaths, 1.3 miles)
• Guilford: ~1.63 deaths per mile (8 deaths, 4.9 miles)
• Old Lyme: ~1.46 deaths per mile (7 deaths, 4.8 miles)
• Branford, Clinton, Madison, Waterford/New London: lower but still notable

The takeaway is that Westbrook, Stonington, Guilford, East Haven, and Old Lyme stand out as shoreline hotspots where the risk of a fatal crash is much higher than the surrounding towns.

What makes these stretches so dangerous? The common themes are clear. Many crashes occurred in clear weather, when visibility was not an issue. Alcohol and drug use played a role in multiple fatalities, including half of Westbrook’s cases and two of Stonington’s. Ramps and merges show up again and again as crash locations, pointing to design and behavior problems at points where drivers speed up, slow down, and shift lanes. And at highway speeds, even seatbelts and airbags often couldn’t save lives.

These local data points echo what larger studies have already shown. A 2017 analysis of federal crash statistics determined that I-95 is the most dangerous highway in Connecticut, with 147 fatal crashes and 164 fatalities over a ten-year period—an average of 15 fatal crashes every year. The study noted how frequent exits, sometimes less than a mile apart, fuel congestion and conflict. In 2022, a $1 million federally funded study was launched to investigate I-95 in Stamford, one of its most notorious bottlenecks. Congestion, high speeds, and poor driver behavior remain the recurring themes.

But what the shoreline towns show is that the danger isn’t just in big cities or heavily congested zones. It’s in the short stretches, the everyday exits, and the segments of highway we think of as ordinary. In just 3.7 miles, Westbrook has lost more people than Old Saybrook has in 4.3 miles and nearly as many as Branford and Madison combined.

The numbers demand attention. Westbrook’s per-mile rate is the highest on the shoreline. Stonington’s death toll is the highest overall. Guilford, East Haven, and Old Lyme also stand out as hotspots where fatal crashes pile up faster than expected. These aren’t just statistics—they represent neighbors, families, and stories cut short on a highway we all use.

If Connecticut is serious about making I-95 safer, shoreline towns like Westbrook, Guilford, Old Lyme, and Stonington need to be part of the conversation alongside Stamford and New Haven. Stronger DUI enforcement, speed control, and a serious look at ramp safety are urgent needs. Until then, I-95 will remain not just a lifeline along the shoreline, but also one of its greatest dangers.

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