Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City & Inverness, Florida Accident Attorney and Alachua County DUI Lawyer Blogs

Deadly Rural Driving: Safety Belts Save Lives

Rural two-lane highways in the Southeast are the largest and most deadly class of roads.  The fatality rate for rural crashes is more than twice the fatality rate of urban crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

In light of the recent Green Cove Springs accident where two teens were ejected out of a pick-up truck, and as a Gainesville accident attorney with 38 years of experience with personal injury law, I am especially concerned for the safety of rural drivers in North Central Florida. Our rural communities are at risk.

It is wise to be aware of the many factors, identified by the NHTSA and other studies, that make rural driving especially deadly:

•  More vehicle miles travelled in rural areas due to greater distance between destinations;
•  Less access to public transportation;
•  Increased likelihood of travelling at speeds greater than 55 mph;
•  Rural roads have more bends and curves than urban roads;
•  Greater wooded areas increase chances a driver may hit a tree;
•  Night driving poses greater risks due to lack of adequate lighting;
•  It takes twice as long for EMS to arrive at the scene of a rural crash (19 compared to 7 minutes);
•  Pavement drop offs due to soil erosion on highway edges;
•  Pick up trucks, a high risk group of motor vehicles, are more often driven on rural roads.

The most simple and cost-effective safety measure to combat risks to rural drivers is to wear a safety belt in compliance with Florida's Safety Belt Law. 

NHTSA data shows that the use of a safety belt use for a passenger vehicle reduces the risk of fatality by 45 percent and the chance of serious injury by 50 percent. Safety belts can saves lives-particularly in North Central Florida's rural areas. 

For more information:
Be Safe, Obey the Law and Buckle Up
Rural Teen Drivers Are at Higher Risk
Know the Law About Pick-up Trucks and Buckle Up