Car Accidents Are Deadlier on Rural Roads

October 2009

With less traffic and more open roads, most drivers probably feel safer on rural roads than on busy urban streets. However, recent findings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that this is not the case.

In 2008, 56 percent of the 37,261 traffic deaths in the United States occurred on rural roads. In Pennsylvania, 828 of the 1,468 traffic deaths occurred in rural areas, also comprising 56 percent of all traffic deaths. In Ohio and West Virginia, the percentage of rural fatalities was even higher, at 64 percent and 69 percent respectively.

While there are more crashes in urban areas, the accidents aren't as deadly. It has been noted that people tend to driver faster on rural roads, drive while drunk more often, and wear their seatbelts less frequently, all of which increase the likelihood of death or severe injury in the event of an accident. Furthermore, the roads in rural areas are not as developed as those in urban settings, making the delivery time of acute medical care slower.