Do More Accidents Happen on the Highway or in Town?

When you’re behind the wheel on any kind of road, you’re probably trying to stay focused on driving and avoid any and all possible accidents. You might be more nervous to drive on one specific type of road compared to others, though. For example, highways might feel more dangerous to drive on than the roads in town.

It makes sense why highways don’t feel as safe—usually you’re traveling faster and have more lanes to pay attention to, which can be incredibly intimidating to even the most experienced drivers. That being said, is that nervous feeling tied to statistics? Do more accidents happen on the highway? Let’s take a look at crash data that compares the number of accidents on highways compared to in town.

Frequency of Car Crashes on Highways vs. in Town

When it comes to crash data and statistics, highways are typically classified as urban areas, and in town is classified as rural. This is because in urban areas, most roads are highways that intersect, whereas towns in rural areas have different roadway infrastructures and different driving habits. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), fatalities were higher on urban roads compared to rural roads in 2018.

There are reasons why the accidents on highways are more frequent and more likely to be fatal than accidents that happen in town. Some of these reasons are that people will reach higher speeds on highways, they are more likely to exceed the speed limit, drunk driving, not wearing seat belts, and the increased presence of pedestrians and cyclists.

In urban areas, there are also certain times of the day that are more dangerous to drive than others. For example, during rush hours. While it might not seem like driving during these times is more dangerous, it can be because other drivers are more likely to quickly stop because of traffic. Other drivers might also be driving aggressively in an attempt to beat traffic, which could cause even more collisions.

On top of all this, accidents are more likely to happen on highways just because of the number of miles traveled on them alone. But they’re not more likely on highways by much—even though rural roads are considered to be travelled less and there are less people in these areas, they still make up for 45 percent of all traffic fatalities. This shows that both kinds of roads can be dangerous, which is why you should always be alert and drive carefully.

Different Types of Auto Wrecks

It’s important to know what kinds of auto collisions can happen so that you can avoid those scenarios as best as possible. Here are some of the most common types of car accidents that can happen when someone else is negligent and crashes into you:

• Head-On. When two cars are driving towards each other, and one loses control or is going the wrong way, they can collide head-on with another driver. These collisions can be especially deadly because the front of the cars strike each other, which is where drivers sit.
• Sideswipe. When cars are moving the same way or even moving the opposite way and scrape the side of each other, that is considered a sideswipe. While these typically aren’t deadly, they can cause serious damage to the side of the car.
• T-Bone. When one car is turning and another is going straight through an intersection, they can crash into each other and cause a deadly accident. When there is a driver or passenger sitting where the other car crashes into them, they can be struck with so much force that they suffer fatal injuries.
• Rear-End. When a car stops suddenly and the car behind them doesn’t have enough room to safely stop, they can crash into the car in front of them. While these usually aren’t deadly, they can still cause serious injuries.

Prince Law Firm Is Here for You

When you’ve experienced a car accident on a highway or in a town and suffered injuries and other damages from the crash, you deserve to recover compensation for what you’ve endured. You could be dealing with medical bills, lost wages, and your regular bills that you are struggling to pay for, and you might be wondering how you can get back on your feet. With the help of a Marion, IL car accident lawyer, you can focus on healing while we handle the legal side of things.

At Prince Law Firm, we’re dedicated to getting our clients justice. We’ll fight for your rights, look into what happened, and calculate exactly what you’re owed so that you can recover the compensation you deserve. Reach out to us today so we can get started on your claim.