Alabama Country Roads Crashes: Insights from an Attorney

Driving in a busy city is stressful, so it’s no surprise that many people prefer the open road. But while rural roads might seem safer due to the lack of traffic and calmer surroundings, the truth is country roads are extremely dangerous.

While city drivers are more prone to occasional bumps, dents, fender benders, and other minor car accidents, rural drivers are far more likely to be in a major car wreck that leads to catastrophic injuries or death.

In this blog, we’ll take a look at why that’s the case, and how Alabama drivers can take responsible steps to protect themselves.

Alabama Crash Facts: Country vs. City

A close look at the 2019 Crash Facts report from the Alabama Department of Transportation reveals a troubling picture of how dangerous rural roads truly are.

Even in a pretty rural state like Alabama, most people still live in cities and suburbs. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, around 59% of state residents live in urban areas, while only 41% live in rural areas.

And as you’d expect, living in a dense urban area—with more cars, more people, and more stop-and-go traffic—results in significantly more accidents. In 2019, there were 123,035 total car crashes in urban areas in the state, compared to just 36,067 in rural areas. That’s more than three times as many!

However, when you look at fatalities instead of just crashes, the ranking order flips—551 fatalities in rural areas, compared to just 379 in urban areas.

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While city drivers are more prone to occasional bumps, dents, fender benders, and other minor car accidents, rural drivers are far more likely to be in a major car wreck that leads to catastrophic injuries or death.

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This is not just an Alabama problem. Even though 80% of the U.S. population lives in a city and urban drivers drive twice as many miles as rural drivers, most traffic deaths occur on rural roads. In fact, the national fatality rate per mile driven is roughly 2.5 times higher for rural drivers than urban ones.

Why Are Rural Roads More Dangerous?

There’s no one answer to why fatal accidents occur at higher rates on country roads and highways. The truth is that it’s a combination of several reasons. Some of these include:

• Faster speeds. Many city accidents happen at intersections, parking lots, and other places where there are lots of people, and they’re all driving relatively slowly. On the other hand, many rural accidents occur at speeds 55 MPH or faster. A speed increase of even just 10 MPH can significantly increase the risk of catastrophic injury or death. Add in the higher risk head-on collision and these rural accidents quickly become fatal.
• Road and driving conditions. Country roads and rural state highways are often in worse shape than interstates or city streets. They also tend to have more twists and turns, narrower lanes, and may not have much protection (or distance) between the roadway and trees, poles, or ditches. Sudden animal crossings are also a much greater threat. And of course, they aren’t lit at night.
• Access to emergency services. Out in the country, crash victims may be many miles from the nearest hospital, with no way to get there fast. Unfortunately, this delay in medical care is often the difference between a severe injury and a fatal one.
• Driver behavior. Statistically speaking, people driving through the countryside are less likely to wear seatbelts and more likely to be under the influence of alcohol than city drivers. The lack of heavy traffic or law enforcement can give drivers a false sense of security in rural areas, and the lack of public transportation or ride sharing alternatives may mean that some people choose to get behind the wheel even when they know they shouldn’t.

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When you look at fatalities instead of just crashes, the ranking order flips—551 fatalities in rural areas, compared to just 379 in urban areas.

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RELATED: Veteran Run Off the Road by Big Truck Wins $3 Million Jury Verdict—the Largest Jury Verdict in Alabama Year to Date

4 Simple Tips to Protect Yourself on Alabama’s Rural Roads

Unfortunately, you can’t always prevent a car accident. As personal injury attorneys, we work with people every single day who were seriously injured or lost loved ones due to someone else’s negligent or reckless behavior.

That said, by being aware of the risks and using common sense, you can reduce your risk of getting in an accident in the first place, and increase your chances of surviving (or only suffering comparatively minor injuries) if you are in a crash.

• Drive defensively. Stay alert and be prepared for other people on the road to make mistakes. Maintain a safe speed and following distance (at least three seconds behind the vehicle in front of you) at all times. You can’t always protect yourself completely from their recklessness, but driving defensively can help.
• Avoid distractions. On a country road, looking down to check your phone or change the radio station can cause you to miss important information that could help you avoid a crash. At 55 mph, a car travels the length of a football field in less than four seconds.
• Always wear your seatbelt. According to a 2017 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, about 90 percent of Americans wear seat belts when they drive or ride in the front seat, but nearly half (47%) of the people killed in passenger vehicle accidents weren’t wearing one. If passengers had been wearing their seatbelts, more than 2,500 lives could have been saved in American in 2017 alone.
• Don’t drive under the influence. If you’re going to be drinking away from your home, make sure you have a designated driver or arrange for alternative transportation. Or, just wait until you’ve sobered up before you leave. It could save your life, as well as the lives of others on the road.

Did an Alabama Car Crash Injure You or Cause the Death of a Loved One? Call Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys Today

As we said above, sometimes you can do everything correctly and still be hurt in an accident. That’s the heartbreaking reality that we see each and every day, from our clients in Mobile, Montgomery, and across the state.

While nothing can truly make up for the loss of a loved one or a lifetime limited by injury, you may be entitled to significant compensation for your losses, depending on what happened.

If you want the best chance at the maximum possible settlement or jury award, you will likely need the help of a skilled Alabama personal injury or wrongful death attorney to handle your car accident case.

Wrongful death cases are especially difficult, since our state only allows the estate of the deceased to sue for punitive damages. That means you need to prove that the other driver was not just at fault, but was so reckless that their actions deserve severe punishment. This is sometimes especially difficult to prove in rural accidents, where there is rarely any video of the crash, police response may be delayed, and there may not be any surviving witnesses willing to support your family’s version of events.

If you want the best chance at the maximum possible settlement or jury award, you will likely need the help of a skilled Alabama personal injury or wrongful death attorney to handle your car accident case.

RELATED: How Much Is a Wrongful Death Claim Worth in Alabama?

What you need is a winning attorney willing to stand up to the insurance companies and fight for your legal rights. In other words? You need Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys.

For more than 35 years, we’ve helped rural and urban Alabamians put their lives back together and get the compensation they deserve after being injured or losing a family member due to the negligence of others. And by holding irresponsible drivers, trucking companies, and other parties accountable for their actions, we’re helping to make the roadways safer for everyone.

To schedule a free consultation with our team of Alabama car accident attorneys, simply call or text (228) 687-8749, 24/7, or complete the contact form on our website.

References

Alabama Department of Transportation. Crash Facts 2019. Retrieved from https://www.dot.state.al.us/publications/Design/pdf/safetyPlanning/2019FactsBook.pdf

Berkes, H. (29 November 2009). The Deadliest Roads are Rural. Weekend Edition. National Public Radio. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2009/11/29/120716625/the-deadliest-roads-are-rural

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (February 2021). Seat Belt Use in 2020. (Traffic Safety Facts Report No. DOT HS 813 072). Retrieved from https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813072

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.