Do you think it’s safer to live in the city or in a rural area?
The answer will likely surprise many of you. According to a recent article from U.S. News & World Report, Americans who live in urban areas are less likely to die from accidental injuries than rural residents.
As a personal injury attorney in St. Louis, this data really is fascinating. The study authors analyzed data on all injury deaths across the U.S. from 1999 to 2006. They did not include the 9/11 terrorist attacks due to the unusual circumstance.
The top three causes of death were auto accidents, guns, and poisoning. The risk of injury-related death was about twenty percent lower for people in urban areas than rural. In large cities, that percentage dropped to forty percent.
Traffic crashes accounted for most accidental injury deaths in the U.S. In rural areas, the chances of dying in a car crash are twice as high as in a major city.
The study may lead health officials to re-evaluate rural healthcare systems and better equip them to handle the higher-risk environment.
I’d like to hear your take on this article and whether or not you believe the city really is safer than rural areas in terms of injury-related deaths. It seems that the open roads of rural communities incite people to drive faster, even with the added hazards of trees and curves. In the city, it seems that people are more aware when driving and are forced to go slower due to lower limits and stronger enforcement.
If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault in Missouri, be it in a rural or city community, be sure to consult an experienced personal injury attorney.