Georgia Injury Law Blog
NHTSA Data Shows High Rates of Auto Accidents, Fatalities in Rural Areas
Newly released data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that traffic safety in rural areas continues to be a serious concern.According to the statistics, although just 23% of the US population lived in rural areas in 2007, accident fatalities in rural areas accounted for 57% of all traffic accident fatalities that year.
A few very interesting facts stand out from the study.
· In 2007, rural areas accounted for approximately 56% of all fatal accidents, and 57% of all accident fatalities.In contrast, urban areas accounted for approximately 44% of all fatal accidents and 43% of all accidents and fatalities.
· In rural areas, 33% of all auto accident fatalities occurred in speeding-related accidents.In contrast, speeding-related accident fatalities in urban areas accounted for 31% of all fatalities.
· In 2007, rural areas accounted for approximately 57% of the 12,998 people who were killed in drunk driving accidents.Urban areas accounted for 43% of the total alcohol-related accident fatalities the same year.
· According to data from the National Occupant Protection Use Survey, seat belt use in urban areas nationwide was approximately 84%, while seatbelt use in rural areas was around 73 % in 2007.
· In 2007, 56% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in rural areas were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident, compared to 51% of occupants in urban areas.
· Auto accident victims in rural areas continue to have limited access to emergency trauma care.Out of the fatalities in 2007, 63% who died en route to the hospital were in rural areas, compared to 37%, who were from urban areas.
Unfortunately, there are not many surprises in this report for Atlanta auto accident lawyers.The fact is that rural areas tend to be neglected when it comes to sobriety checkpoints, or speeding crackdowns.The result is that more numbers of people are involved in such accidents in rural parts of Georgia and around the country.Accident victims in rural Georgia in particular, continue to suffer from a lack of access to emergency “golden hour” care.The result -, more numbers of fatalities in rural areas at rates that are completely unacceptable to Georgia auto accident lawyers.