It has long been known that rural roads pose a disproportionate danger to drivers. When you look at fatal accidents per mile, you can clearly see where the risks lie. The frequency of fatal accidents on two-way roads is higher than the frequency of fatal accidents in urban areas.
One reason for this that the government cited is that risky driving behaviors are much more common. An example they give is the role of distracted driving. You may already know that this is a very common problem and that it is dangerous, but why does it happen more on rural roads?
The road design itself
A large reason for this may simply be that the road design caters to distraction in a way that city streets do not. In the city, many streets are short, there are numerous traffic controls – such as stop signs and red lights – and drivers often need to be much more engaged in the activity of driving the car. This is especially true for drivers from rural areas who may not be familiar with the city streets.
Once you get outside of the city, however, you tend to have longer roads with extensive sections of unobstructed pavement. The speed limit increases to 55 miles per hour. There is less traffic. All of this means that drivers tend to relax and settle into what they consider “easy” driving that doesn’t require as much thought. As a result, they’re more likely to check their phone at this point, and that can lead to a distracted driving accident.
If you have been involved in an accident or lost a loved one, be sure you know about all the legal options at your disposal to protect your future interest and get the compensation your family needs.