LEGAL TIP OF THE WEEK: ARE THE BACKROADS SAFER THAN CITY STREETS?

Oklahoma has a lot of open land space, and a good part of it is rural farmland. The roads that lead up to farms, ranches, and small towns may not be the most traveled roads and that leads some drivers to mistakenly believe backroads are safer than city streets. In truth, rural roads may be more unsafe than city streets and there are a lot of reasons for this difference in safety. First, there are fewer police officers on back and dirt roads, which can cause some drivers to go faster than what is safe. Second, many backroads are traveled most frequently by locals familiar with the area and this can lead to disregard for safe driving habits such as buckling up. These factors all contribute to unsafe driving conditions in rural areas, and increase the chance for an accident. A third factor adds a criminal element, and it is the instance of driving while intoxicated or while on drugs. When backroads are not as frequently patrolled or have fewer vehicles on them on a regular basis, it is not uncommon for an impaired driver to choose this route over a more populated street in order to avoid being pulled over. But that choice does not always mean an accident won’t happen or guarantee an officer won’t be on patrol and make an arrest.

For more information, contact us today by calling the office at (405) 235-4040.