We all remember how tenderly John Denver sang about West Virginia’s “Country Roads.” But if he were traveling them today, he might do so with some trepidation. According to statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, West Virginia ranks among the most dangerous states for fatal crashes. In 2013, the most recent year for which statistics are available, West Virginia ranked fourth overall for deaths per 100,000 population:
The average throughout the United States is 10.3 deaths per 100,000 population.
When fatal accident numbers are adjusted for the number of miles driven, West Virginia appears even more dangerous. The state ranked second for deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled:
The average throughout the United States is 1.11 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
There are many factors that certainly contribute to these high fatality rates, such as:
Reasonable precautions are necessary to prevent auto accidents on rural roadways, including:
Remember, these country roads are supposed to take you home, not to the hospital or the morgue. All of us at Prim Law Firm, PLLC hope you will drive safely and arrive in good health. But if you’ve been hurt in a traffic accident in West Virginia, and you want to know your rights, contact us for a free consultation. Call 304-721-4619 or contact our office online.