Your
Tampa Auto Accident Lawyer for Rural Road Traffic Accidents
In the Tampa Bay area, many of us travel
on urban roads like I-275, Highway 60, U.S. 19, and Dale
Mabry Highway on a daily basis and witness frequent car
accidents. Surprisingly, however, several studies have deemed
rural roads more dangerous and deadly than city roads due
to increased mileage, curvature of the road, and other factors.
The Tampa auto accident lawyers
at Clark and Martino, P.A., have represented many Tampa
Bay area residents who have been affected by serious car
accidents on rural roads in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco,
and beyond. As lawyers who fight for the rights of the injured,
we feel it’s important for Tampa-area drivers to be
aware of the potential dangers of rural roads.
According to a study by the Georgia Institute
of Technology, rural two-lane highways in the southeastern
United States are the deadliest places to drive in the country.
The Georgia Tech study showed that frequently, crashes in
the Southeast—including Florida—occurred on
rural roads in wooded areas where drivers ran off the road
and hit a tree. Other deadly factors on rural roads are
late-night driving and motorists impaired by fatigue or
substances, the study found. Finally, the Georgia Tech study
said one key factor in rural road car accidents is the 2.5-
to 5-inch pavement drop-off on the edge of rural highways.
The sharp, deep edge between the pavement and the shoulder
is usually cased by soil erosion.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) reports that deadly accidents occur more than twice
as often on rural roads than on urban roads. According to
the NHTSA, factors contributing to frequent fatal accidents
on rural roads include:
- Speeds
in excess of 55 miles per hour
- Curvature
of rural roads
- Timeliness
of emergency response and treatment (it takes about twice
as long for emergency medical services to arrive at the
scene of a rural accident)
Those who are injured during a one-vehicle
accident on a rural road may believe a Tampa auto accident
lawyer cannot help them because only one driver was involved
in the accident. This, however, is not true. On the contrary,
a Tampa car accident lawyer may
be of assistance in any type of accident because insurance
companies are not always willing to pay a fair amount for
medical bills, lost wages, and the other losses experienced
after a serious car accident. Please call Clark and Martino,
P.A., to schedule a free initial consultation with a Tampa
auto accident lawyer about your case.
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