Trending
Living in a rural community and traveling on rural roads puts you at a higher risk of dying in a fatal crash. Despite only 19% of the United States' population living in rural areas, nearly half of all fatal crashes occur on rural roads, according to a 2020 publication from the Governors Highway Safety Association titled "America's Rural Roads: Beautiful and Deadly."
This issue hits home for me, as my daughter Hannah Eimers, born in Fredonia, was killed in a crash in rural Tennessee. Hannah's story has been a catalyst for change with her death prompting over $100 million in infrastructure investment and a 2021 federal law promoting crash testing integrity.
Much work remains to make our roads safer. One area where significant improvements can be made is in the installation and maintenance of guardrails in rural communities. I recently analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration involving deaths from 2016 to 2020 involving a guardrail end. The data revealed over 900 fatal crashes, of which over 200 involved obsolete guardrail ends such as blunt ends, turned-downs, or BCT terminals which are no longer considered crashworthy.
During my review, an April 2019 fatal crash stuck out to me because it occurred in Fredonia resulting in the death of Philip Cunningham, 28. This crash appears to have involved a very old turned-down unit and the outcomes are similar to those seen in many other crashes involving obsolete turned-down guardrails.
Research dating back over four decades has shown that crashes involving turned-down guardrails are more deadly and create a ramp effect which can launch a vehicle, leading to deadly outcomes. Philip was born on Dec. 21, 1990 while guidance cautioning about the dangers of turned-down guardrails was issued in September 1990.
When Philip was 4 years old the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued guidance calling for replacement of turned down guardrails. This talented young man who served his nation in the U.S. Army was not killed on a foreign battlefield but died in a crash involving an obsolete guardrail end just miles from his home.
Many of the guardrails on our rural roads have been there for decades and were often placed for reasons that cannot be supported with modern engineering analysis. Over time, guardrails can become damaged or outdated, compromising their ability to protect motorists during a crash. Guardrails must be inspected annually, and when damaged or obsolete guardrails are found, they should be replaced with crashworthy models or simply be removed if supported by careful engineering analysis.
The cost of replacing or removing these obsolete guardrails may seem daunting, but it pales in comparison to the human cost of inaction. We owe it to ourselves and future generations to ensure that our roads are as safe as possible. The technology exists to create guardrails that are crashworthy and effective, and it is our responsibility to ensure that this technology is implemented on a wide scale in our rural communities.
Another significant problem is that it is impossible to know what you do not know. State Departments of Transportation must proactively foster strong relationships with local road authorities to facilitate the transfer of critical knowledge and expertise, resulting in safer local roads and highways for everyone. This may include providing training on proper installation and maintenance techniques, as well as sharing information on the latest industry standards and guidelines.
Philip's mother now grieves for her only son who is never coming home. We must provide adequate support for our rural communities so that we may make progress in robbing America's cruel streets of any future victims of traffic violence. Our nation was founded on the belief that all men are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We must prioritize the value of human life on our roadways with that same level of devotion which founded our nation.
Stephen Eimers grew up in Fredonia and became a prominent national highway safety advocate after the death of his daughter Hannah. Eimers is a researcher, activist, and content creator pressing for safer roads.