Maine and the Dakotas have the deadliest rural roads, study concludes

Maine had the deadliest rural roads in the United States in 2005, followed by North and South Dakota, with Iowa and Vermont tied for fourth, according to research by the Center of Excellence on Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota. The rankings are based on percentage of fatalities outside cities with a population of 5,000 or more, without regard to rural road mileage; Maine's figure was 92 percent.

In Minnesota, the state with the 15th deadliest rural roads, the study found that 72 percent of the state's traffic fatalities in 2005 occurred in areas that were defined as rural, reports Sarah Kirchner of the Albert Lea Tribune: "Overall, the Upper Midwest is a deadly place for drivers on country roads." (Read more) To see where your state ranked in 2005 and 2004, click here.