Rural Drivers – Changing The Culture
Rural Drivers
Last week as I was driving on I-40 coming back to Nashville from a meeting with clients in Cookeville, a news report came on one of the local stations telling a man who was injured in a one-car accidentthe crash was alcohol related during which his vehicle flipped and rolled over ejecting him from the vehicle. A bottle of Vodka was found at the scene and the police were investigation whether . My first thought was speed, rollover, no seatbelt and alcohol, what is it with rural people and their driving habits and what can we do to change them.
Statistics gather by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that in 2006, there were 38,588 fatal crashes resulting in 42,642 deaths. Rural areas accounted for 55 percent of the fatal crashes and 56 percent of the fatalities. Urban areas accounted for 45 percent of the fatal crashes and 44 percent of the fatalities.
According to the 2006 Census, 23 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural areas however, rural fatalities accounted for 56 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2006. In 2006, 14,840 drivers involved in fatal crashes had been drinking (blood alcohol concentration [BAC] = .01+ g/dL) and of these drivers 39 percent were cited for speeding. Rural drivers involved in fatal crashes represented 56 percent of drivers speeding and drinking. The 2007 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) shows that the seatbelt use rate among occupants of vehicles in urban areas was 84 percent and rural occupants were observed to have a rate of 78 percent.
If you or a loved on is involved in a Tennessee automobile accident with a drunk, speeding or un-seat belted driver contact the experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.
Phillip Miller is a Tennessee Accident Attorney specializing in
Phillip has an AVVO rating of 10.0 (Superb), has been designated as a “Superlawyer”, and is the President Elect of the Tennessee Association for Justice.
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