The number of people killed in rural areas is much higher than that in urban areas. In 2018, there were an estimated 7,775 deaths on U.S. roads—and about 94 percent occurred in rural areas or suburbs outside major cities. This is due to the way people drive. Rural drivers tend to travel faster than city drivers and often ignore safety precautions like seat belts or child restraints while traveling at high speeds on winding country roads or highways with poor visibility due to fog or snowfall.Truck accident cases are often more complicated than other types of vehicle accidents due to the large size and weight of the trucks, as well as the unique regulations that apply to the trucking industry. An experienced truck accident attorney will have the knowledge and resources to investigate the accident and build a strong case on your behalf. However, you must take the following precautions to avoid the situation altogether.
Reduce the Speed Limits
Raising awareness about speed limits in rural areas is one way to reduce accidents. Mostly, there are no speed limit indicators on rural roads resulting in high-speed collisions.The speed limit should be reduced to 30 mph when there are no signs indicating otherwise, such as a “school zone.”If you are traveling through a school zone, the speed limit must be 25 mph. This should still be reduced to 20 mph if there are children present. You should also watch for children crossing streets or intersections and slow down when approaching them.
Pavement Conditions
Pavement conditions are important to consider when driving in rural areas. In some cases, the pavement can be dangerous and even deadly. Pavement conditions can vary widely between rural areas and urban settings, so drivers should be prepared for any type of road surface they encounter.
Pavement condition is most often determined by how much traffic there has been at an intersection or location, as well as any other factors such as snowfall or rain, which tends to make roads slippery. Check for potholes and other road hazards that could cause a truck accident. Avoid debris on the road, and don’t take a risk if the driving conditions are not suitable.
Improve Signage
When you’re on a rural road, you want to be able to see and understand the signs that are posted. Signs should be visible and readable from both sides of the road. They should be placed at regular intervals, with two or three signs per mile (or kilometer). In addition, they should be placed on the left side of the road—this is because drivers approaching from other directions will see them first before they reach your lane.
You can also use different colors for different hazards: red means don’t enter unless it’s safe; yellow means slow down; green means stay in your lane until you pass it again; orange means stop immediately.
Educate Drivers
The best way to reduce the risk of an accident is to educate drivers about new driving precautions, so they make smart decisions on the road. Drivers should be taught the rules of the road, how to avoid distractions and how best to use their turn signals. They should also be made aware of the dangers associated with texting while driving or using other devices, which may lead them into an accident with a vehicle traveling in front of them.
Overall, the most important thing is to slow down and pay attention to your surroundings. If you do have an accident, it’s important to call 911 and let them know what happened so that emergency services can respond. In addition, call your lawyer also, so that they can start the claim process. These tips for preventing accidents in rural areas will help everyone maintain safety on the roadways, including those who may not be able to afford vehicles or insurance policies.
