Many Texas drivers exercise due caution on city streets and highways but drive with abandon on rural roads. However, there are several factors that make rural roads even more dangerous than the average Texas street. This means that drivers should approach them with even more caution.
One of the main dangers is the fact that people think that the remote nature of the road allows them to drive with abandon. There is a perception that there are no police or other drivers in the area so drivers can speed, drive recklessly and not wear seatbelts. At the same time, motorists may not be familiar with the roads because they have never been in the area before. The dangers are even more pronounced at night when rural roads are unlit and may even have animals lurking on the surface or shoulder.
In addition, rural roads tend to be narrow two-lane streets. This makes passing very difficult, even though many drivers still try to do it. Motorists must drive defensively when they are on rural roads. Laziness or adventurousness are both dangerous when drivers go off the beaten path to venture on isolated roads that they do not know. Even those who drive safely should be alert because other motorists may not be exercising the necessary amount of caution on rural roads.
Drivers who have been in an accident on a rural road, or any other stretch of highway, should contact a motor vehicle accidents (car, truck, motorcycle crashes) attorney to learn more about their legal rights. They may be entitled to substantial financial compensation for their injuries if the accident was due to the negligence of another driver. The attorney could assist their client by negotiating a settlement agreement on their behalf or filing a personal injury lawsuit in court.