Rural roads are very common in Montana. They can also be very dangerous. After all, some reports claim that more than half of fatal accidents occur on these sections of road.
That’s notable because rural roads are not the norm for most Americans. The average person lives in an urban area, so that’s where they spend most of their time driving. Because over 50% of fatal crashes happen on rural roads, which have lower traffic levels, this means that the fatal accident rate is disproportionately high.
Speed limits are a major cause
One of the top reasons rural roads are dangerous is the higher speed limits in those areas. Even if every other detail of the crash is the same, an accident that takes place at a higher speed is more likely to lead to fatal injuries for the occupants. Two cars that get into a head-on collision in the city at 20 miles an hour may not result in any fatalities, for instance. But two cars that get into a head-on collision on a rural road at 60 miles an hour means there’s a high chance that at least one person will pass away.
There can also be some element of complacency. Rural roads tend to feel a bit more simplistic and easy to navigate. There’s far less traffic and fewer traffic signals. But this can lead to serious driving mistakes, like drivers getting distracted by their cellphones. All it takes is one mistake to cause a serious crash.
If you’ve lost a loved one in an accident or been seriously injured due to another driver’s negligence, you may deserve significant financial compensation.
