For Pennsylvania drivers and others who take to the state roads, auto accidents are a frequent worry. All roads carry with them a certain level of risk, but some are worse than others. Rural roads are problematic because they can be poorly lit, narrow, winding and people might try to drive in the same way as they do on wider urban roads.
Recently, the Governors Highway Safety Association released a report about the number of accidents on these roads. People should be aware of this and its findings. Still, accidents are sometimes unavoidable and when there is a collision, people should also think about how to address their future.
The numbers show the dangers on rural roads
Although only one in five people in the United States lives in a rural area, these locations account for nearly half of the accidents that occur. From 2016 to 2020, there were more than 85,000 fatalities on these roads. People on rural roads had a 62% greater chance of being in a fatal accident when compared to urban roads.
The GHSA report gives suggestions to try and make these roads safer. Part of the reason for the number of deaths is the frequency with which people choose to ride without seatbelts. However, driver behavior is an even bigger challenge to overcome. Distraction and speeding are causing a significant number of accidents and deaths. Pennsylvania had a reduction in road fatalities in 2022, but there has been a known rise in distracted driving in the past three years.
Other issues are identified in the GHSA report. These roads tend to be poorly maintained. Improvements and repairs are few and far between because of a lack of resources and limited attention. Design is also a concern. Pennsylvania has had success with high-profile crackdowns on dangerous driving, but that has been largely limited to heavily trafficked roads and not rural roads where there is less traffic.
People need to know how to move forward after an auto accident
Regardless of where an auto accident occurs, it can cause extensive damage and even death. People could have enormous medical expenses and be confronted with an inability to work.
While this is a problem for anyone unfortunate enough to be in this situation, many rural workers rely on their physical capabilities and auto crash injuries can hinder them doing their jobs. To address all the problems that come about after a crash, it is imperative to know how it happened, analyze the future and react accordingly, people should know what can be done in the immediate aftermath.