Car accident rates on rural roads are relatively high. In particular, there’s a disproportionately high rate of fatal accidents. Even though only around 20% of Americans live in rural areas, some reports indicate that more than 50% of fatal crashes happen on these roads.
When you look at these incidents on a case-by-case basis, you’ll find a lot of similar causes behind crashes in both rural and urban settings. A driver in the city may be just as distracted by their cellphone as someone on a rural highway, for example. Drunk driving, speeding and distracted driving are major issues in both areas. So why is the fatal accident rate so much higher on rural roads?
1. It takes time to get medical care
One issue is that the remote location itself makes it harder for EMTs and first responders to get to the scene quickly. It also takes longer to transport the patient to a hospital. Even if there’s a rural hospital nearby, it may not have the facilities to treat serious injuries, meaning the patient has to be airlifted to an urban hospital. Meanwhile, someone who experiences the same accident in the city—where a trauma center is just minutes away—could begin receiving lifesaving care much sooner.
2. Accidents happen at higher speeds
Another factor is speed. The average speed limit on a rural road is much higher than on an urban street. Two collisions may be identical—for example, one vehicle being T-boned when another driver runs a stop sign. But a driver in the city may only be traveling at 20 or 25 miles per hour, resulting in a relatively minor crash with no serious injuries. On a rural road, the same type of collision might happen at 55 or 60 miles per hour, leading to a devastating or even fatal outcome. The nature of the crash is the same, but the injuries suffered are drastically different due to speed.
If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one, take the time to explore all of your legal options.