Various studies have confirmed that rural and small-town area roads are much more dangerous than highways and city roads. Rural roads simply host more accidents every day. Comparing the percentage of serious accidents between rural and city roads, the former always wins. The accident rates on rural roads are disproportionately higher.
If you were injured by someone else on a rural road, you deserve compensation. Since rural roads are more dangerous, people should take more precautions and drive with extra safety. Anyone who does not consider other people’s safety should not get away with their mistake being ignored. Consult with a car accident lawyer in Fort Wayne to learn your options.
Reasons why rural roads are more dangerous
-
The location is remote.
The thing about rural roads is that they are located in remote areas. Therefore, naturally, it takes longer for people to discover the accident and longer for the victims to get help, report the accident and get to the hospital. Since the areas are rural, no hospitals are usually nearby, and it takes longer for the emergency crews to reach the accident site. On the other hand, in a city, a hospital may be just a mile away, and prompt treatment is possible.
-
Rural drivers are more likely to be fatigued.
It is common knowledge that driving while sleepy or tired behind the wheel is extremely dangerous. Being fatigued has the same effect on your mind and driving abilities as alcohol because, since you are tired, you can focus less on the road. Drivers might even fall asleep or close their eyes for a few seconds, which can cause a devastating accident.
People driving on rural roads are more likely to be fatigued because they must reach their far-flung destinations and drive for hours.
-
Drivers go at higher speeds.
In the city, drivers are more likely to obey the posted speed limits and traffic signs because there are CCTV cameras and traffic police at every corner. However, it is not the same in rural areas. Drivers on rural roads may drive faster than they do in the city. The risk of fatal accidents increases when vehicles go at higher speeds. Even those following the speed limit go faster than they do in the city due to the higher speed limits.
-
Risky driving behaviors.
Drivers tend to practice a few risky behaviors when in the rural area. For example, they do not wear seat belts or use their mobile phones, and they have higher chances of impaired driving. Another risky behavior is aggressively driving on two-lane roads and unsafe passing from one lane to the next.