There’s no doubt about it.  Rural driving is easier and more relaxing than driving in the city.  But it’s also more dangerous.  While city drivers are involved in more collisions than rural drivers, far more people die in rural collision.  The reason for this is simple: People drive faster in the country.  Other rural hazards include poor lighting---or no lighting---animals on the road and poor road conditions.

 Speed is the Biggest Hazard

The higher speeds of rural driving greatly increase the dangers of oncoming traffic, blind curves and hills, and people entering the road at lower speeds.  To drive safely in the country, make sure your stopping distance is never greater than the distance you can see ahead.  This means you must slow down when approaching a curve or hill, not just so you can stay in control of your vehicle, but so you can stop in time if there is an obstacle, such as a stalled car or an animal, in the road around the curve or over the hill.