Rural roads in Devon and Cornwall are the deadliest in the country, according to new figures from the Department of Transport.
37 people died on roads in the two counties last year.
DoT canmpaig THINK! says 60% of fatalities happen on country roads - 11 times more than on motorways.
Across the whole of the South West last year 131 people were killed on country roads and 929 were seriously injured.
In Cornwall last year, 22 people died, 152 were seriously injured and 1,226 were slightly injured on country roads.
In Devon, 15 people died, 226 were seriously injured and 1626 were slightly injured on the county's country roads during the same period.
Researchers for THINK! found that nearly a third of drivers in the region report having had a crash or near miss on a country road, while 42% have been surprised by an unexpected hazard, such as an animal on the road. Over a third also confess to taking a bend too fast.
The most commonly reported contributory factor to being killed or seriously injured on country roads is motorists losing control, often because they are driving too fast for the conditions.
Road safety minister Robert Goodwill said motorists could take steps to drive more safely, such as slowing down. reading the road ahead to identify hazards and giving cyclists or horse riders plenty of room.
