Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the country, but it still has thousands of miles of road and over a million residents that use those streets daily. There are also countless others who drive through Rhode Island to other locations in New England every day.
Unfortunately for those living in or traveling through Rhode Island, the roads are not in the best condition. In fact, a recent analysis of road conditions throughout the country showed that Rhode Island was one of the worst in the country in terms of the state of its streets.
What did the analysis uncover?
Researchers looked at road condition data provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Statistics Series that explored the general condition of different roads. Sadly, Rhode Island took first place on that ignoble list.
The researchers found that roughly 38.8% of the roads in the state are in poor condition and in need of major work. Those who feel like there are too many potholes every spring are not alone. The statistical evidence seems to align with that claim.
What does the poor condition of many Rhode Island roads mean?
There may need to be a renewed focus at the state level on addressing the current condition of the roads. Until then, drivers should recognize that their risk of a crash is higher because the roads are in poor condition.
There are numerous ways in which poor road maintenance can lead to increased collision risk. Perhaps the most obvious is that drivers may end up colliding with someone swerves suddenly to avoid a major pothole. Others may not expect someone to enter another lane of traffic suddenly, which could lead to a collision occurring.
People hitting those potholes can be just as bad. They might blow out a tire or lose control of their vehicles. Anyone on the roads in Rhode Island will need to be aware of how the condition of the streets might affect their safety traffic. Learning more about the factors that increase someone’s crash risk may help them avoid a motor vehicle collision by adjusting their practices at the wheel for optimal safety.