People often think of city traffic as chaotic and dangerous. Conversely, they think of a drive down a rural country road as something fun and even relaxing.
However, studies have found that rural roads are more dangerous when you look at the fatality rates. Why are they so dangerous, even though people tend to think of them as safer areas to drive?
The role of speed
Speed plays a tremendous role as far as rural accidents are concerned. A city street has such vastly lower speed limits that accidents are easier to survive. Even if there are more cars and more collisions in the city, those crashes are much less likely to be fatal. Speed is perhaps the greatest indicator of the severity of someone’s injuries.
The role of dangerous driving practices
Studies have also found that dangerous driving practices contribute to these higher rural accident rates. Examples of these reckless behaviors include driving without a seat belt or under the influence of alcohol. Fewer police officers patrol rural roads, so people may think they’re less likely to get caught.
The role of distance
Finally, the distance between rural areas and the nearest hospital leads to increased fatality rates. The proximity of a hospital doesn’t change how often accidents happen or how severe they are, but it can add minutes or even hours to how long it takes for a car accident victim to receive medical treatment. If first responders can be there in three minutes in the city, rather than 30 minutes on a rural road, car accident victims in the former scenario have a greater chance of survival.
Have you been injured?
If you have suffered injuries in an accident, no matter where you were driving at the time, you need to know how to seek financial compensation. An attorney can go over how you would go about doing that here in Ohio.