It often feels like rural roads should be safer than city streets. Part of it has to do with the physical space and the design, as rural roads are often straight, wide open spaces without complicated designs and with lower traffic levels. This just naturally feels safer to many drivers than a city street that is packed with cars and has a confusing design, including one-way streets, roundabouts, traffic signals and much more.
But when you look at the statistics, you’ll find that roughly half of all fatal accidents happen on city streets, and the other half happen on rural roads. This makes it seem like both areas are equally dangerous. However, the majority of people in the United States live in urban areas, so these streets get vastly more traffic. What this means is that the fatal accident rate on rural roads is higher, making them the more dangerous location.
Why is this?
There are a few reasons why rural roads are so unexpectedly dangerous. One reason is just that the speed limit is higher. Speed makes injuries more severe in the majority of accidents. So an accident that happens at 30 miles an hour in the city may not lead to a fatality, while the same accident at 60 miles an hour would be deadly.
The remote location also plays a significant role. When someone is injured, they may only have a certain amount of time to get medical care. If they are five minutes away from the hospital in the city, they could get that care quickly and be saved. With an accident at a remote location, it could take much longer for the medical response team, and the person may pass away from their injuries.
Have you lost a loved one or suffered serious injuries in a car accident? Be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.