Rural road deaths higher than urban areas

More than half of Missouri traffic deaths happen on rural roads. After a deadly crash that happened on Stanley Poe Road just south of Columbia on Monday night. ABC 17 looked into the dangers of rural roads in Mid Missouri.

Jacob Robb, was killed Monday night on Stanley Poe Road, after driving down the narrow winding road in Columbia. When things took a turn, Sheriff’s deputies believe his truck went off the road. When he over corrected, causing his truck to skid, flip over and hit some rocks. The Boone County Sheriff’s Department believes that speed, and the curve in the road were a factor to his death.

If you drive down a rural road you will notice the sharp curves and blind turns, and know how dangerous the roads can be if you aren’t familiar with the road.

Trooper Shawn Braza’s told ABC 17 that, “country roads are extremely dangerous because they are gravel and the surface can be un-even meaning you’re likely to slide or curve going to fast.”

According to the most recent statistic, more than half of the fatal crashes in Missouri happen on rural roads. While the number of rural fatalities has decreased twenty percent in the past 10 years, the rural fatality rate is still three times higher than in urban areas. “If I had to estimate at least 90-95 percent of county roads in Callaway County are gravel.”

Some residents believe that turning the gravel roads into pavement will only mean that more driver will speed, and the highway patrol agreed.