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Abstract
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Almost half of all fatal crashes in the United States occur on rural roads — though only 19% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas.
Every state has rural roads, and every state has citizens who die in crashes on those roads. During the five-year period 2016-2020, 85,002 people lost their lives in rural road crashes. In fact, the risk of dying in a crash was 62% higher on a rural road than an urban road for the same trip length.
This report takes a deep dive into rural road fatal crashes using Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data. The analysis examines where people crash on rural roads, who crashes and what risky behaviors they are engaged in when they crash.
The high rate of crashes on rural roads are caused by a combination of factors, including lack of safety resources, simpler roadway infrastructure, poor emergency medical service and, to a significant extent, risky driver behaviors. Many fatal crashes happen on straight sections of road. Lack of seat belt use is the leading culprit; more than half (58%) of motor vehicle occupants killed in rural road crashes were unrestrained.
Other leading factors include the use of alcohol and other drugs, speeding and distraction.
Fatal crashes that involve very high speeds tend to occur on rural roads rather than their urban counterparts — particularly speeds above 100 miles per hour. The report also found that states with high maximum speed limits tend to have higher per capita rates of fatalities on rural roads than states with lower maximum speed limits.
Everyone is at risk on rural roads. Every age group, sex, race and ethnicity is represented in fatalities on these roadways. However, men are involved more than women (more than two to one), mirroring their overinvolvement in crashes of all types. Young people are at particular risk on rural roads, and that risk does not dissipate when they turn 18 years old. Instead, they continue to crash and die on rural roads well into their twenties — and at exceptionally high rates, the highest of any age group.
At the other end of the spectrum, adults 65 and older make up 19% of the rural population but account for 21% of rural road deaths. The overrepresentation may seem small, but the graying of the U.S. rural population is reason for concern.
Rural roads come with unique challenges — long distances, limited resources, culture. This report does not downplay the complexity of the barriers faced by rural communities. Instead, it offers concrete strategies to help the State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) that address behavioral highway safety issues work collaboratively with rural communities, local agencies, law enforcement and nontraditional safety partners to address rural road safety.
This report discusses proven countermeasures that have applicability to rural road safety. It also presents promising practices that may spur novel ideas by innovative thinkers. Tactics for sharing resources and specialized training can help spread limited resources — funding, equipment and personnel — where they are most needed. Improvements to post-crash care can boost survival rates. And a broad menu of behavioral safety strategies can reduce risky behaviors. |