Car Accidents On Rural Georgia Roads

The act of driving is a hazardous one, so using any type of roadway comes with a certain amount of risk. There are, however, specific kinds of roads that tend to be more dangerous than others. In Georgia, for instance, there is a much higher risk of being involved in a car accident on rural roads. While this may come as a surprise to many people, it actually makes sense when you consider the number of rural roads in Georgia and the risks that come with driving on those roads.

Why Rural Road Crashes are So Dangerous 

Being involved in any kind of accident can have serious consequences, but rural car accidents tend to have particularly devastating results. There are a lot of reasons for this. Rural roads, for instance, are by their very nature remote, which means that they don’t often receive the type of maintenance and repairs that urban roadways do. As a result, rural roads are often pitted with potholes and other defects that could prove dangerous to motorists.

Furthermore, the winding, curving nature of rural roads and their lack of adequate lighting also creates more opportunities for accidents, with drivers needing to stay vigilant the entire time they are at the wheel. The increased likelihood of encountering wild life on these roads makes an accident even more likely. Finally, when an accident does occur, the results are often more severe because emergency responders may take a lot longer to arrive and administer aid.

Common Types of Rural Car Accidents 

While most accidents on urban roadways tend to involve two or more vehicles, single-vehicle accidents are much more common on rural roads, where it is more likely that a driver veered off of the road due to:

• A road defect, like a pothole;
• Fatigue; or
• The presence of wildlife.

Another common type of rural car accident is the head-on collision. Unfortunately, these kinds of crashes are notorious for being particularly dangerous and are often fatal. These types of accidents, when they occur on rural roads, can often be attributed to poor lighting, a lack of signage, and driver fatigue. Rural car accidents are also more likely to involve commercial trucks, which must often use less populated routes when traveling great distances, as well as heavy machinery, like farm equipment. Again, collisions with these kinds of vehicles are dangerous, as they are so much larger and heavier than the standard passenger vehicle.

Call Shiver Hamilton Campbell Today 

While accident victims who were involved in collisions are still often entitled to compensation for their losses, proving fault in these cases can be a bit more complicated, largely due to the lack of eyewitnesses and video recordings of such crashes. This is why it’s so important for accident victims to have an experienced car accident lawyer on their side who can help them build a strong case. To learn more about the ins and outs of filing a car accident claim, please call the dedicated Atlanta auto accident attorneys at Shiver Hamilton Campbell today.

Sources: 

ghsa.org/resources/news-releases/GHSA/Rural-Road-Safety22

safety.fhwa.dot.gov/zerodeaths/docs/FHWA_SafeSystem_Brochure_V9_508_200717.pdf