High Five Rural Project
About the HIGH FIVE PROJECT
Q: What is the High Five Rural Traffic Safety Project?
A: A data-driven, multi-agency effort to increase seat belt use and reduce serious injury and fatal crashes on rural roads in Arkansas through education, engineering and enforcement.
Q: Where in Arkansas will the program be focused?
A: In five rural counties that ARDOT crash data show have high fatal and severe injury rates.
Q: Don’t most crashes occur on major roadways?
A: In 2019, 68% of fatal crashes in Arkansas occurred on rural roads and 82% of Arkansas roads are rural.
Q: What are the main causes of rural traffic crashes?
A: Most rural road crashes involve only one vehicle. Contributing factors include:
- loss of control,
- lane departure,
- excessive speed,
- failure to yield, and
- impaired driving.
Q: What will be done to reduce crashes & save lives?
A: Through enforcement, media and community out reach efforts, participating agencies will work to educate drivers on the benefits of complying with traffic laws, especially Arkansas’s seat belt law.
Q: Why is increasing seat belt usage so important?
A: Proper and regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to reduce fatalities and injuries. Seventy-seven percent of vehicle occupants ejected during a crash are killed.
Q: Can more be done to make rural roads safer?
A: Yes. The High Five project includes local and state engineers and traffic safety professionals working together to identify road hazards and make upgrades wherever possible.
Other articles about Arkansas Rural Road Safety that may interest you: TOP 6 QUESTIONS BEFORE BYPASSING THE BUCKLE IF YOU DRIVE RURAL ROADS
The Arkansas High Five Program is brought to you by the Arkansas State Police Highway Safety Office and traffic safety professionals from these organizations:
