Recent research has found that car accidents in rural areas are more likely to be fatal compared to car accidents in urban areas. While this is concerning information for Jonesboro residents who live in rural areas, the research has also identified risk factors which make rural driving so dangerous. This allows Arkansas drivers to mitigate their risk of car accident injuries. Victims of reckless or negligent driving have the legal right to be compensated monetarily for their losses. An experienced Jonesboro car accident attorney will fight to help you obtain full and fair compensation for your personal injuries.
Why Rural Accidents Are More Likely To Be Fatal
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported on the findings of a study into accidents rates in rural areas, as opposed to urban areas. This study reported that, in 2015, only one-fifth of the U.S. population lived in rural areas, yet almost 6 in 10 crash deaths reported that year occurred on rural roads. The number of crashes in urban areas was found to be higher, but rural accidents were far more likely to cause fatal injuries. This was found to be related to seat belt use, which was highest in urban counties and lowest in rural counties. High speed - a known risk factor for fatal car accident injuries - was also found to occur more frequently in rural accidents.
How Jonesboro Drivers Can Protect Themselves on the Road
By addressing these two critical risk factors - seat belt use and speed - Jonesboro drivers can reduce the risk of sustaining fatal injuries on the roads of Arkansas. Safety precautions such as these are not just a prudent measure. They are also legally required by Arkansas state law. Section 27-37-702 of the Arkansas Code requires drivers and front seat passengers to wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt (which has, in turn, been properly secured to the vehicle). The statute allows very few exceptions to this requirement. These include: vehicles manufactured before federal seat belt installation requirements were in effect; passengers and drivers with a disability certified by a physician which contraindicates seat belt use; children who are properly restrained under Alabama’s Child Passenger Protection Act; and U.S. Postal Services carriers performing duties as rural letter carriers.
Speeding is also prohibited by Alabama state law. In some cases, a driver can be speeding even if he or she is traveling at the posted speed limit. Section 27-51-201 of the Arkansas Code prohibits driving a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions. Therefore, if it is unsafe to travel at the posted speed limit due to snow, ice, rain, mud, decreased visibility, or other roadway conditions, a driver can be cited for speeding even if he or she has not exceeded the posted speed limit. That driver may be held liable for an accident that occurs as the result of speed under such hazardous conditions.
After any car accident, be sure to contact an experienced Jonesboro car accident attorney as soon as possible. It is important to hold negligent drivers accountable for their dangerous conduct.
