Matthew D. Barrett PC

Why are rural roads so dangerous?

2025-03-10T15:14:39Z

A disproportionate number of Americans die in crashes on rural roads compared with those in urban areas. Why? A number of factors that have contributed to the annual 17,000 rural road fatalities include risky driver behavior, simpler roadway infrastructure, lack of safety resources and poor emergency medical service. These are the findings from the report “America’s Rural Roads: Beautiful and Deadly,” released in September by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). The report focused on the five-year period from 2016 to 2020. During that time, 85,002 people died in crashes on the country’s rural roads.

Indiana has its share of rural road deaths

Among some key findings in the report include 45% of all fatal crashes in the country occurred on rural roads, despite the fact that just 19% of Americans live in rural areas. Also, states with higher maximum speed limits usually have more fatalities on rural roads than states with lower speed limits. Indiana has its share of deaths on rural roads, ranking 19th in the nation in deaths per 100,000 population. The state recorded 1.4 fatalities on rural roads per 100,000 population, the same as Virginia and Wisconsin. The three states with the highest number of fatalities on rural roads per 100,000 population were South Carolina (6.1), Mississippi (3.8) and Alabama (2.8).

Risky driver behavior, limited resources

But here is a deeper look into some of the factors contributing to higher dangers on rural roads:

Risky driver behavior: This includes failure to wear seat belts, use of alcohol or drugs, speeding and distraction. An estimated 58% of the people who died in rural road crashes were not wearing seat belts. Roughly 43% of alcohol-related traffic deaths occurred on rural roads. Speeding contributed to 27% of rural road fatalities as fatal crashes involving high speeds of more than 100 miles per hour were more predominate on rural roads. And during the study’s five-year period, 7,699 people died in distracted driving incidents.
Rural communities have limited resources: Lack of funding, fewer government officials and emergency responders may lead to ineffective policies and response times to public safety matters. Without enough funds, some rural roads may lack signage or lighting, and emergency responders may not have the right equipment.
Rural culture: Rural residents seem to be more reliant on themselves and their communities and not so receptive to outside organizations such as the government telling them what to do. This philosophy of self-reliance leads to resistance to the top-down approach in decision-making. Messages geared toward urban audiences do not translate well with rural audiences.

The GHSA report also noted that roadway departures and head-on collisions accounted for the most common types of fatal crashes on rural roads, and that young people continue to be among those most at risk in dying in a rural car crash.

Continued focus on safety

Road safety must continue to be addressed everywhere in rural and urban areas. The GHSA report’s findings are disturbing. If you have been injured in any motor vehicle accidents caused by the negligence of other drivers and even government entities, you may be entitled to compensation.

Indiana truck accident caused 2 fatalities

2022-12-26T10:45:40Z

Crossroads typically have an increased risk of danger, simply due to the fat that vehicles are often approaching from several directions at once. Especially in areas where heavy traffic is the norm, drivers must be alert and cautious to avoid a collision at intersections. A truck accident recently occurred where U.S. 41 meets Industrial Park Boulevard, in Vincennes.

A tractor-trailer operator was reportedly making a left turn when he suddenly came to a full stop in the roadway, leaving the trailer end of his vehicle blocking two lanes of traffic. A collision occurred with a northbound vehicle in one of those lanes. A married couple, both aged 68, were traveling together in the vehicle. Sadly, neither survived.

Truck driver wasn’t hurt

While both occupants of the vehicle died because of their injuries, the tractor-trailer driver escaped injury. Both the sheriff's office and coroner's office from Knox County arrived at the scene of the tragedy to assist Indiana State Police. Truck accidents like this are often caused by driver negligence.

Support for families who have lost loved ones in truck accidents

Learning that a loved one has died in an Indiana truck accident causes shock and grief for the surviving family members. Beyond the emotional trauma, however, families often experience financial distress due to funeral expenses and other financial issues associated with a loved one's death. State law allows immediate family members to file a wrongful death claim in a civil court when driver negligence was the proximate cause of a fatality.

Filing a wrongful death claim after a fatal crash

2022-12-13T11:39:22Z

When an Indiana police officer notifies a family that one of their loved ones has died in a car accident, waves of shock and grief begin to ripple through the home and the community at large. If the victim was a young person, it seems to intensify sorrow and distress. It is common for a fatal collision to be caused by driver negligence. If a motorist was distracted, intoxicated or driving recklessly, the loss of life might have easily been prevented. Coping with a loved one's death in such circumstances is difficult, especially if feelings of frustration or anger set in toward the driver deemed responsible for the crash. Many families find it helpful to seek justice on behalf of their deceased loved one.

Family members could file a wrongful death claim

A spouse, parent or legal guardian or adult child of a deceased accident victim may wish to pursue wrongful death proceedings in civil court. A plaintiff in such a case must be able to prove certain elements, including that the defendant owed the victim a duty and was negligent. A plaintiff must also prove that this negligence was the proximate cause of the victim’s death.

Monetary damages can help family move forward

Moving on in life without a loved one is never easy, and financial distress that arises in the wake of a fatal collision can only add to a family's pain. When the court rules in favor of a plaintiff in a wrongful death claim, the family may be able to offset accident-related expenses, such as funeral costs or medical bills, etc., with restitution the defendant is ordered to pay. Because this type of litigation is stressful and complicated, it is best to seek legal support before heading to court.

Indiana traffic stop ends in drug charges for 2

2022-11-22T16:11:44Z

In many instances, what begins as a routine Indiana traffic stop might develop into a criminal case if the driver or any passengers are taken into police custody. Such was the case when a patrol officer attempted to stop a particular motorist, who also had a passenger in his vehicle, at the time. The officer reportedly initiated the traffic stop after noticing that the vehicle's license plate was expired. The traffic stop resulted in two men facing drug charges.

When Indiana police make a traffic stop, they are usually cautious and observant regarding a driver's behavior or anything a passenger in a vehicle might be doing. In this case, police claim to have witnessed suspicious activity in the vehicle, though a media report about the incident did not identify exactly what the police claim to have observed. A search of the vehicle was then conducted.

Passenger was accused of drug possession

A male passenger in the vehicle was allegedly in possession of illegal drugs. He was taken into police custody and is now facing criminal charges. In addition to the methamphetamine that the 47-year-old man is alleged to have had in his possession, police say they also discovered cocaine, marijuana and other drug-related items in the car.

Refuting drug charges in an Indiana court

The 51-year-old driver is also facing drug charges. In any case, a defendant can enter a plea of not guilty and refute the charges in court. Doing so does not guarantee a particular outcome, but those who act alongside experienced criminal defense support have a greater chance of achieving a positive result.

Tractor-trailer hit SUV in Indiana collision

2022-11-18T15:19:13Z

On a recent Sunday in Indiana, several travelers suffered injuries in a motor vehicle accident. Two vehicles were involved, a tractor-trailer and an SUV. The tractor-trailer reportedly struck the SUV, which resulted in multiple people needing emergency medical care.

The collision occurred at the intersection of several roadways. There were numerous occupants in the SUV. One of them, a teenage boy, was ejected from the vehicle when the big rig slammed into it. Thankfully, after being transported to a nearby hospital with serious injuries, he was listed in stable condition.

One SUV occupant was treated at the scene

Another male occupant of the SUV was also taken to a hospital. A third victim, a female, received medical treatment at the scene for injuries not thought to be life-threatening. The tractor-trailer operator did not suffer any injuries and is said to be cooperating with law enforcement officers investigating the crash.

Many tractor-trailer collisions are fatal

It is not uncommon for an Indiana tractor-trailer collision to result in a fatality. Even in cases like this, where everyone in the SUV survived, it is possible for a recovering victim's condition to take a turn for the worse. In the past, many vehicle occupants have made it to the hospital, only to later succumb to their injuries. Whether a victim is fatally injured or survives, if driver negligence is deemed to have been a causal factor of a particular collision, those who have suffered damages may seek financial recovery by filing a claim in court. If there has been a fatality, an immediate family member may seek justice on behalf of a decedent.

Can a drink you had yesterday cause a DUI today?

2022-11-14T07:33:20Z

If you go out to dinner at an Indiana restaurant with four friends, and each of you consumes an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol will affect every person differently. Your body mass index, age, health and genetics are all factors that determine how alcohol will act in your system. It takes a while for alcohol to leave a person's body. In fact, if you enjoy a mixed drink or a beer today, it can still be detected using a Breathalyzer device 24 hours later. This could cause a lot of legal complications. If a police officer pulls you over in a traffic stop because he or she witnessed your tires touching the yellow line, you might be asked to take a breath test or field sobriety test. If you fail, you can be arrested for DUI, then instructed to take a Breathalyzer test, which could detect alcohol in your system if you drank it within the past 24 hours.

The question to answer would be whether you are still impaired

You no doubt have heard numerous suggestions for overcoming a hangover, such as drinking copious amounts of black coffee or taking a cold shower. In reality, doing these things might make you feel better, but they cannot lower your blood alcohol content level. It takes your body a certain amount of time to process alcohol, and nothing you do can change that. In Indiana, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle if your blood alcohol content level is more than .08. However, if you are tired from the night before and appear unfocused or incoherent to the officer who has pulled you over, he or she may count this as suspected impairment and take you into custody. A Breathalyzer test may register positive for the alcohol you drank the night before, and if it is still at a level of legal impairment, you could wind up facing DUI charges.

What are your defense options for DUI?

When Indiana prosecutors have filed criminal charges against you for DUI, you are allowed to refute those charges in court. Whether you should plead guilty or fight the charges is a decision you must make. There are often several defense strategies that may be relevant to a particular case. Most defendants seek legal consultation to help them determine which approach might be best in a particular set of circumstances. It is critical to clearly understand state laws, to know your rights and how to protect them in court, especially if you believe your personal rights were violated during the process.

Being proactive after a car accident

2022-10-25T05:50:01Z

If you are traveling along an Indiana highway when another vehicle hits you, an otherwise uneventful trip may quickly become chaotic. The top priority in the immediate aftermath of a collision is to assess your condition and obtain medical assistance. If you are able, it is a good idea to exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. In the days and weeks that follow a car accident, you may be dealing with multiple physical injuries, as well as emotional trauma. Even if you have already been examined by a doctor and released from the hospital, it's important to closely monitor your condition in case any new symptoms develop or the injuries already diagnosed do not begin to heal.

Economic damage after a motor vehicle collision

Another driver's negligence not only places you at risk for severe physical injuries and emotional trauma, but it can also have a disastrous economic effect on your life. The vehicle you need to commute to work might be totaled or in need of repair. Medical bills might start arriving in the mail. You might lose income by taking time off work during recovery. If another person was drunk or distracted or reckless at the wheel, you should not have to be the one to foot the bill for expenses associated with the incident. Indiana law allows car accident victims to seek financial recovery for their losses. You can begin this process by requesting a consultation with Matthew D. Barrett, P.C., an Indiana personal injury law attorney who provides strong support to recovering car accident victims and their families.

2 Indiana men charged with drug crimes

2022-10-10T04:10:12Z

When law enforcement authorities in Indiana receive information from members of a community regarding possible illegal activities in the area, they typically respond by documenting the information and investigating, if warranted. A recent investigation lasted for months after police received numerous reports that drugs were being manufactured and sold at a particular residence. After weeks of monitoring the situation, investigators obtained a search warrant for suspected drug crimes and went to the residence. Reportedly, two men were living at the residence at the time. After police searched the premises, both men were arrested. They are now facing felony drug charges for allegedly manufacturing methamphetamine.

Investigators say that the drugs were laced with fentanyl

Fentanyl is a synthetic drug that is said to be at least 50 times stronger than heroin. Investigators apparently believe the alleged methamphetamine drugs that the defendants were supposedly manufacturing in their home were laced with fentanyl. As in all criminal cases involving drug distribution allegations, the alleged drugs will be sent to a laboratory for testing.

Building a strong defense is a top priority

When anyone is facing criminal charges for drug crimes in Indiana, his or her freedom may be at stake. The penalties under conviction are often quite severe, including substantial fines and many years in prison. For this reason, it is always best for an accused individual to request immediate legal support after an arrest has occurred. An experienced criminal law attorney can review the details and recommend the best strategies for a strong defense.

In Indiana, breath test refusal leads to ALS

2022-09-28T08:46:42Z

Imagine yourself out with a group of friends on a weekend. You're glad that you don't have work the following day, and you decide to have a glass of wine or other alcohol beverage with your dinner. Several hours later, you drive home but get pulled over by an Indiana police officer along the way. You know things are not going well when the officer asks you to step out of your car.

Having a single glass of wine with dinner and driving several hours later does not necessarily mean you have operated a motor vehicle unlawfully. It depends on your blood alcohol content [BAC]. If it is under the legal limit, you most likely did not commit a DUI crime. You can choose to decline a request to take preliminary alcohol screenings during a traffic stop. If you're arrested anyway, you can also refuse a Breathalyzer test but not without significant repercussions.

Administrative License Suspension is active in Indiana

Administrative License Suspension [ALS] is written in Indiana's law books. The law states that a driver who refuses to take a Breathalyzer test after being arrested on a DUI suspicion will undergo an automatic driver's license suspension. Keep in mind that this is an administrative, not legal, penalty.

Also, keep in mind that ALS remains active even if you are never charged with a DUI crime. If you are released after being taken into police custody without ever having charges filed against you, you will still be without a driver's license for six months, starting 11 days after your arrest.

Getting to and from work under an ALS suspension

Being arrested for suspected DUI is stressful as it is. Undergoing a license suspension and not being able to commute to and from the workplace even when you were not charged with a crime makes matters worse. Six months can feel like quite a long time. Indiana law allows you to seek a work permit after the suspension has been active for 30 days if it was the first time you had ever been arrested for DUI.

The trouble doesn't always end with ALS

During the 10 days leading up to the activation of ALS, you are allowed to request a hearing to challenge your case. If you waive the opportunity to do so, you are at risk for additional administrative restrictions when your license suspension is finally lifted. Such penalties include having to install an ignition interlock system in your vehicle, which is a breath test device attached to the steering column, making it impossible to start your car unless you take and pass the test.

Administrative penalties plus criminal charges

As mentioned earlier, ALS penalties are separate from the potential legal repercussions of a DUI arrest. If you face criminal charges in addition to administrative penalties, not only your job but your personal freedom may be at risk. While being arrested is a stressful experience, you can take comfort in knowing that you can reach out for legal support right from the start, which is the best way to protect your rights and to obtain the most positive outcome possible.

Legal support for personal injury victims

2022-09-26T09:40:30Z

In Indiana and all other states, daily life typically includes interaction with other people, including some to whom you may owe a duty of care. For instance, your employer owes you the duty of providing proper training and equipment to keep you safe on the job. Your fellow commuters in traffic owe you a duty of reasonable care on the roadway, which includes obeying traffic laws and safety regulations. If someone breaches a duty that is owed to you, and this breach of duty causes you injury, state law allows you to seek financial recovery for your losses in court. To do so, you would file a personal injury claim, thereby becoming a plaintiff in a lawsuit. The defendant or defendants would be anyone you name whose negligence, reckless behavior or malice that you claim caused you damages.

Damages often include additional factors beyond physical injury

If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, you might suffer severe physical injuries. In addition to the physical aspect of damages, however, you might also suffer economic distress and emotional trauma. In certain circumstances, this may be included in a list of damages in a personal injury claim.

You must convince the court to rule in your favor

As a plaintiff in an Indiana personal injury case, you must provide evidence in court to show that the defendant owed you a duty, breached that duty and caused you injury because of his or her negligence. If you are considering filing such a claim, you may request a meeting with Matthew D. Barrett P.C., to discuss your case. Seeking legal counsel before heading to court often increases the ability to build a strong case and achieve a favorable outcome.