Living in Kentucky, you may know that some parts of the state are more dangerous to drive in than others. In fact, drivers in Kentucky are more likely to lose their lives when traveling on rural roads in this state than in any other in the United States.
A national transportation research group called TRIP recently released a report that indicated that Kentucky has around 2.54 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, which makes it the state with the seventh highest rural road fatality rate in the U.S.
What makes Kentucky’s rural roads so dangerous?
The danger on Kentucky’s rural roads is directly linked to the fact that around 27% of the rural roads are in mediocre or poor condition. Unfortunately, those roads are also necessary connection pathways for many people in the state, so they are traveled despite being in need of repairs.
Many of the rural roadways don’t have the safety features that would be used on other roadways. That means that they may not have good lighting or illumination. There might not be left-hand turn lanes or other safety features, like guardrails, that would keep drivers safe. Even Kentucky’s rural bridges have been found lacking. Around 7% of rural bridges have deteriorated enough to be considered structurally deficient or poor.
Infrastructure influences crash rates
Infrastructure matters and makes a difference in reducing collision rates. When roadways have all the necessary safety features, safely fit two vehicles and are easy to navigate, the likelihood of a collision is much lower. Unfortunately, many of the rural roadways in Kentucky are in disrepair. That means that there is a much greater risk of injuries and deaths as a result of otherwise avoidable traffic collisions and single-vehicle accidents.
You may have a right to compensation after a crash on a rural road in KY
If you are injured on a rural roadway in Kentucky, know that you’re not alone. You may have multiple options for seeking compensation for your injuries, especially if your collision was a result of another driver’s errors or damage to the roadways that should have been corrected.
