If you're worried about it, you need to ride a bike more, a lot more. Get out and ride. Put a white blinky on your handlebars, and a really bright red blinky somewhere in the back. A Planet Bike Superflash Turbo is a good taillight. Run those lamps all the time, including daylight. Keep the batteries fresh so they're bright. Even without lights, getting hit is really rare.

The most important thing is to ride a straight line, be predictable, and keep your eyes open. When a car passes you in a city or while it's moving a bit slowly, examine it for a right blinker. Watch out for stopped cars with a driver. They could open the door at any moment, so stay a door's width away from them. Examine every parked car for a driver. You'll get a sense of what cars are up to by riding a lot.

I have no evidence that low traffic backroads are any safer. They are often windier, hillier, without shoulders, and with poor passing opportunities. However, they are so much less annoying that I also like them better. I really, really dislike cars and trucks whizzing by me constantly. Drives me nuts.