Dangers of Rural Roads

Many people are unfamiliar with the dangers of rural roads. Each year, more Americans are killed on small country roads than on large urban highways, and San Antonio is no exception. In 2008, for example, 56% of the 37,261 traffic deaths occurred on rural roads, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These facts may come as a surprise to many. After all, more people live in cities than in rural areas, and the countryside is often associated with tranquility, not with deadly accidents. So what makes rural roads more dangerous than their urban counterparts, and how do we make the scenic route safe? The attorneys at Carabin Shaw are here to answer these questions and help if you have been involved in a rural auto accident.

The airy, open setting of the country can feel liberating. This sense of freedom makes the temptation to drive full-throttle nearly irresistible. It’s not surprising, then, that accidents in the country usually occur at much higher speeds than the ones that happen in the city. To make matters worse, drivers are less likely to buckle up in rural areas. Drivers tend to think that the dangers of rural roads come from other motorists, not from themselves. So on vacant byways—like those sinuous, dirt roads that cut across the San Antonio countryside-- people feel justified in their decisions to drive recklessly and to leave their safety belts unbuckled. Carabin Shaw understands the risks of sharing these roads, and our expert lawyers are here to help if you were injured on one.

Another one of the dangers of rural roads—one with which Carabin Shaw is very familiar--is worn out infrastructure. In the country, many streets are not regularly maintained, and objects, such as trees and fences, are left dangerously close to the roads. Furthermore, drivers are often not warned of sharp, sudden turns as they approach them. Anyone who has driven the rural roads of San Antonio knows that they are falling apart, and will bend drastically and unexpectedly. There are simple solutions to these problems: Repair the infrastructure, and set up the appropriate caution signs. But not all rural counties prioritize the safety of their roads. Until rural counties nationwide uniformly agree to make their roads driver-friendly, the country will remain dangerous.

Since the creation of The Rural Safety Program (which provides the funding needed to make rural roads safe), there has been a national campaign to make the facts about rural accidents available to the general public. The fruits of this campaign manifest as television, roadside, and internet ads that inform people of the stark realities of driving on rural roads. If people know that they are more likely to die on a pleasant country drive than during rush hour, perhaps they will negotiate rural roads cautiously. The dangers of rural roads are many, and some of these dangers are caused by the joys of cruising the countryside.

Some progress has been made, but we have a long way to go before rural roads are safe. Meanwhile, responsible drivers continue to be made the victims of reckless behavior. If someone you know needs a San Antonio car accident lawyer, call Carabin Shaw. For more than fifteen years, we have worked on auto accidents of all kinds (including oil and gas accidents), and we understand that each case presents unique challenges and requires special care. Our attorneys consult non-legal experts—scientists, engineers, doctors, etc.—in order to research and understand the particulars of every accident. Good research is especially important in cases of rural accidents, for such accidents often occur without witnesses.

Carabin Shaw works to reveal the truth, ensuring that our clients get the legal care they need and deserve. Call us for your free consultation today.