Missouri Rural Roads Ranked Among the Most Dangerous in America

If you're like me, you've driven on your share of rural roads in Missouri in your lifetime. That's why I sadly was not surprised at all when I saw new data that revealed rural roads in the state are among the most dangerous in America.

There's a national research non-profit organization called TRIP which just released data called "Rural Connections". The numbers they shared involved "States with Highest Number of Rural Non-Interstate Traffic Fatalities". In the span of just one year, Missouri had 451 rural non-interstate traffic fatalities which is staggering. That is nearly double the number of deaths on non-rural roads.

That number placed Missouri at 12th in America for the most dangerous country roads. What I don't understand is Missouri is among the highest in the Midwest for these types of accidents with more than 100 than Illinois. Iowa isn't even in the top 20. Only Indiana is higher than Missouri for rural road fatalities during one calendar year.

Why are Missouri rural roads so much more dangerous than other types of roadways?

The TRIP study said "a lack of desirable roadway safety features, longer emergency vehicle response times, and the higher speeds traveled on rural roads compared to urban roads" were the main causes.

I have had my own share of close calls on Missouri rural roads thanks to blind hills and gravel that isn't the most reliable when it comes to traction. I always try to be extra cautious especially with the large number of farm equipment in use in the county I live in. Let's hope somehow that Missouri can find a way to make these country roads safer and that all of us can learn to drive more carefully on them, too.