A lot of drivers feel safer on rural roads. This is usually because the roads have less traffic. Things don’t feel so chaotic. This simplicity makes you feel like you’re safe and that driving is easy.
But, statistically speaking, this is very deceptive. Rural roads are actually much more dangerous. In one study that looked at the statistics from 2020, it was determined that the odds of losing your life in a crash on a rural road were 62% higher, compared to being involved in a fatal crash on an urban street. The study even adjusted for the length of the drive, since many trips in urban areas tend to be shorter. It was still notably more dangerous to drive on rural roads.
Why is this?
There are a lot of reasons that this happens, starting with the fact that rural roads have higher speed limits. Accidents at higher speeds are more likely to be fatal, and this is just made worse by the fact that people are likely to break the speed limit.
Another thing to consider is that hospitals and medical centers are farther away from rural areas. Some of these fatalities may not have been fatalities if the accidents had happened in the city and medical care was promptly given.
Have you suffered injuries or lost a loved one?
You can’t always choose which roads you drive on based on safety or anything of this nature. You simply have to accept some level of risk. But that means that, if you are injured or lose a loved one due to the negligent actions of another driver, you may need to look into your rights to seek financial compensation.
