Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity for Rural Road Safety

#RRSAW Day 4: Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity for Rural Road Safety

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Is it Science Fiction?

The scene is flat. Mountainous. Desert-like. A woodland. Dusty. Fertile. With crops. Without. Rural areas have a vast range of terrains and landscapes. These areas, which make up 71 percent of our nation’s roadways, are also home to diverse communities who struggle to make their roads safer. Consider these statistics:

In 2019, 40 percent of counties with the highest poverty rates saw fatality rates 35-percent higher than the national average.
Women are 17 percent more likely to die in a crash than men of the same age, although men make up more than 70 percent of drivers involved in fatal crashes.
Fatalities among Black people increased 23 percent between 2019-2020 compared to an overall increase of 7.2 percent across all fatalities.
American Indians and Alaska Natives have roadway fatality rates more than double the national rate on a per population basis.

There is a better way. Imagine a world where everyone drives rural roads safely. Is it science fiction?! No! It is possible to allocate critical resources equitably in a way that moves rural road safety to the top of the priority list for all rural road users. There’s no better conversation to be had when it comes to rural road safety – except, what about post-crash care? Isn’t there a crossroad where rural road safety should meet public health? There is! It’s Day 5 of Rural Road Safety Awareness Week – The Intersection of Rural Road Safety and Public Health.