Highway is safer to some extent, IMHO. Unless you get the cagers coming across the median at you from the opposite direction. Couple of years ago I was on I75 NB near Middletown/ Franklin, in my car, early in the afternoon. Far left lane, windows down, summertime. Heard a horrible, familiar sound of a bike sliding on pavement just behind and to the right of me. A rider in the middle lane had been rear-ended by a Civic. Civic driver kept going. He was using the right side break-down lane, etc. I tried to catch him or at least keep him in sight, but wasn't going to risk myself or another driver. Not sure what ever happened to either of them. I can't imagine being that rider. Nobody expects that (or at least I don't...). Bottom line: theres always a risk, but we all know that. Personally, I only use the highway when necessary. I don't like any straight roads, no matter where they are. Yawn.