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Why car accident location impacts fatality odds

On Behalf of | Jul 1, 2024 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Where a car accident happens can play a big role in whether or not people pass away from their injuries. Even if all of the other factors of the crash are the same — the same types of vehicles were involved, traveling at the same speed, for example – one accident could be far more likely to have fatal ramifications, just based on the location alone.

To see how this works, consider that the fatal accident rate on rural roads is higher than the fatal accident rate in urban areas. There are far fewer people on these rural roads, driving far fewer total miles, so why is their accident fatality rate so disproportionately high? Much of it has to do with the location.

Delaying medical services 

For instance, imagine that one driver gets into a car accident in the city. Just a few hundred yards down the street is a world-class hospital. EMTs are on the scene in minutes, and the person gets medical treatment. They have internal bleeding, but surgeons are able to stop it in the ER and they survive without long-term ramifications. 

At the same moment, an identical accident happens on a rural road. The nearest hospital is 20 minutes away, and it also takes 10 minutes for someone to discover the accident and call it in. EMTs don’t arrive at the scene for half an hour. By the time they get there, the injured person has already passed away from the internal bleeding. They don’t get to the hospital at all.

Seeking Compensation

If you have lost a loved one in a car accident caused by another negligent driver, you need to know what legal options you have to seek compensation. It may help cover funeral costs, medical bills, lost earnings and more. 

 

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