Florida ranks 5th in nation for most fatalities on rural roads

Florida was ranked 4th in the nation for most reckless drivers.

Florida is among the worst states in the U.S. — when it comes to fatal vehicle accidents on rural roads.

In a recent study, TRIP, a nonprofit organization researching transportation issues, found that the Sunshine State is fifth in America’s per capita fatalities on rural roads. Florida saw 2.61 people killed on rural roads for every 100 million vehicle miles of travel in the state, according to the TRIP analysis.

“There were 728 fatalities on Florida’s non-interstate, rural roads in 2022. Rural roads are more likely to have narrow lanes, limited shoulders, sharp curves, exposed hazards, pavement drop-offs, steep slopes and limited clear zones along roadsides,” said the TRIP analysts in a report called “Rural Connections: Examining the Safety, Connectivity, Condition and Funding Needs of America’s Rural Roads & Bridges.”

The report evaluated the safety conditions of country roads and bridges separated with notable distances away from interstate roadways. The report also “finds that the nation’s rural transportation system (requires) immediate improvements to address deficient roads and bridges, high crash rates, and inadequate connectivity and capacity.”

The report also concludes: “Four percent of Florida’s rural roads are rated in poor condition, and 12% are in mediocre condition. Six percent of Florida’s rural bridges are rated in poor (and) structurally deficient condition. Bridges rated poor (and) structurally deficient have significant deterioration to the major components of the bridge and are often posted for lower weight or closed to traffic, restricting or redirecting large vehicles, including agricultural equipment, commercial trucks, school buses and emergency services vehicles.”

South Carolina is rated the worst state in America for rural road fatalities, with 3.11 deaths on those roads for every 100 million miles of motor vehicle travel. Delaware was second, Arizona third, and Oregon fourth among the most dangerous states with rural road travel.

While the report criticizes Florida’s rural roadways, it also raises concerns about rural vehicle travel nationwide.

“Roads, highways, rails and bridges in the nation’s rural areas face significant challenges: they lack adequate capacity, they fail to provide needed levels of connectivity to many communities, and they cannot adequately support growing freight travel in many corridors. Rural roads and bridges have significant deficiencies and deterioration, (lack) desirable safety features, and rural non-interstate roads experience fatal traffic crashes at a rate far higher than all other roads and highways,” the TRIP report notes.