The fall harvest season is a particularly dangerous time on rural roads. Even if you're not in an area where farm implements are moving from field to field, it's wise to be especially cautious on rural roads. Speed is the single biggest factor affecting the severity of a highway crash. If you double the speed of a vehicle, you multiply the amount of energy involved in a crash by four. Even with a seatbelt and airbag, it's almost impossible to survive a direct collision with a fixed object or heavy slow-moving vehicle such as a loaded grain wagon if you're going 60 or 70 miles per hour.
Rural highways are often more narrow.
On some roads there are steep embankments and ditches on both sides. Thus there is little room for error. It is especially dangerous if you come upon a tractor, combine, or other wide vehicle while driving at high speed. Further, rural highways are often poorly lit or not lit at all. As a result, the rate of fatal collisions on rural roads triples in the evening or during other low-light conditions.