If you’re driving on a rural road, you statistically have a greater chance of being involved in a fatal accident than on a city road. These chances aren’t even entirely up to you. You can drive safely, but you could still be hit by another negligent driver. Statistics show that these fatal accidents happen at a greater rate on rural roads than they do in the city.
There are many reasons for this discrepancy. Some reports have pointed to things like a lack of seatbelt use or driving under the influence. Those things certainly play a role in causing these fatal accidents, but they also happen in the city. There are two key factors that can make rural accidents more likely to lead to fatal outcomes.
Distant medical services
The medical services that people need after a crash are generally farther away in remote areas. There is often a significant delay before medical services can even arrive at the crash scene. There is another delay as they transport the person to the hospital. It can take an hour to do this at a rural crash site, when the whole operation would be more likely to take just a few minutes in the city.
Higher speeds
Speed limits are typically higher in rural areas. Speed directly impacts the odds of a fatal accident. This is why exceeding the speed limit is so dangerous. However, even adhering to a higher speed limit – such as driving 55 miles an hour instead of 35 miles an hour – means that the odds of a fatality in a crash are much higher than at a lower speed limit.
Have you been injured in an accident or lost a loved one? Be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.