Road less traveled is the more deadly one

Star Tribune ^ | July 28, 2008 | JEFF SHELMAN

[Sopater]

A new U website will show a disproportionate number of fatal accidents happen outside urban areas.

Getting behind the wheel of an automobile has significant consequences, a list that includes death.

But how often do people really think about that when they turn the key of their car or truck? The Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota would like people to ponder just what might happen if they are distracted, tired, had a couple too many beers or decide that that seat belt is a pain.

That's why the U's center dedicated to rural highway safety plotted more than 42,000 traffic fatalities in the United States in 2006 -- the equivalent of 115 each day -- and placed them on an interactive map on the Internet.

Today, its "Safe Road Maps" website will be officially launched at www.saferoadmaps.org during an annual conference on rural safety.

There, visitors can enter their address or ZIP code and see where automotive fatalities occurred that year. They can see whether anyone died in their area or on oft-traveled routes. The listing for each fatality also indicates whether speeding or alcohol was a factor in the crash or the victim was wearing a seat belt.

Federal data for 2007 data will be available this fall and added to the site.

[Sopater]

Kind of an intereting study.

I've often had the discussion with my wife as to whether it was safer to travel the interstate or a highway that parallels the interstate in our rural area. I argue that the interstate is safer due to the fact that everyone is going one way and separated by a large median from those going the other way. She felt that the highways were safer since they are less traveled and don't have as many cars and especially semis driving on them.

I've looked for a website that shows the number of fatalities on the roads in our area, but hadn't seen one before. This developing website may help to answer that question.

Of course, my wife always wins the argument because all arguments are won on emotional appeal in the absence of factual data. ;-)

[Sopater]

Waiting patiently to see how many folks die waiting or riding on “light rail”.

[Devilinbaggypants]

LOL...funny how that works...isn’t it ;-)

[Disambiguator]

Waiting patiently to see how many folks die waiting or riding on “light rail”.

[Rebelbase]

This past Saturday an old lady driving in front of me stopped at a green light to make a left turn onto a ramp that exits traffic from the interstate. It was only because of oncoming traffic that she couldn’t complete the turn. I laid on the horn and wagged my finger at her for a good 15 seconds before she figured it out and drove on down to the correct ramp.

[Balding_Eagle]

Waiting patiently to see how many folks die waiting or riding on “light rail”.

Data says 'zero', no one rides those things.

[mewzilla]

Is this because the rural highways themselves are more dangerous, the drivers are less cautious, or because rural areas are further away from trauma care?

[Ditto]

Bump for later

[lilycicero]

Train riding secrets revealed.

[xroadie]

Is this because the rural highways themselves are more dangerous, the drivers are less cautious, or because rural areas are further away from trauma care?

Neither. Urban areas have lower speed limits, and more traffic control (red lights, for example) to maintain the speed limits. Rural areas have higher speed limits, and less traffic control. Higher speeds=more fatalities.

I didn't see anything that referenced Interstate vs. non-interstate roadways.

It's noteworthy that I learned this first in my Drivers Ed class in 1970. I hope we don't spend too much on this study.

[HangnJudge]

Of course, my wife always wins the argument because all arguments are won on emotional appeal in the absence of factual data. ;-)

Your statement is missing the obligatory
/duck modifier ;^)

[dynachrome]

Riders, mayabe not. Drunken bums staggering on to the tracks, yup.

[Hazwaste]

Is this because the rural highways themselves are more dangerous, the drivers are less cautious, or because rural areas are further away from trauma care?

None of the above. It's because we rural folk are so paralyzed with fear while clinging to our guns and religion that we can't grasp the steering wheel and we simply run off the road.

[DugwayDuke]

“It’s noteworthy that I learned this first in my Drivers Ed class in 1970. I hope we don’t spend too much on this study.”

It would be interesting to know if there was any meaningful data to back up these claims or if that was just propaganda to young drivers to encourage them to obey traffic laws. (Meaningful data means data that wasn’t manipulated or cherry picked.)

[radiohead]

It's because we rural folk are so paralyzed with fear while clinging to our guns and religion that we can't grasp the steering wheel and we simply run off the road.

RFLMAO!!!