Some New Jersey residents are more familiar with driving on urban roads than with traveling in rural areas, and they may think that the latter is safer. This would be a mistake because even though the countryside may see less traffic, the drivers that are encountered are more likely to take risks.
It all stems from a false sense of security that drivers experience on rural roads. They may let themselves become inattentive, travel down the middle of a two-lane road and even feel as if a seatbelt is unnecessary. The lack of a police presence in rural areas may compel many drivers to speed or drink while driving.
Besides the drivers, rural areas are dangerous in themselves for several reasons. One is the narrowness of the lanes and shoulders. This is a leading factor in many head-on collisions and run-off road crashes. A second factor is the lack of street lights, which can make night driving a challenge. Third are the animals that can dart out and scare drivers into losing control of the car.
People are expected to be extra cautious, then, when traveling in rural areas. Everything starts with defensive driving, where one never assumes that other motorists are making safety a priority.
In most crashes that occur in this state, victims can be compensated for their injuries by their own insurance company. When the injuries are serious, victims may pursue a personal injury claim against the other driver’s insurer, and they may recover damages as long as they are 50% or less at fault. Their negligence will, of course, proportionally lower whatever amount they might recover, so to ensure a fair settlement, victims may want to have the help of a lawyer. A lawyer may hire investigators to show just how the defendant was being negligent.
