Why are UK country roads so narrow?

I have never been able to understand what seem to effectively be one lane roads.
No room for two cars to pass.
Yes, it would keep the speed down but what are the fatal accident rates?

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SpudMuffin · 61-69, M

You're talking about roads that pre-date cars. They were perfectly adequate for people on foot or horseback, and the width of the road has become defined by the boundaries of the fields or woods on either side. It's not as dangerous or inconvenient as you might think, there are usually places where two vehicles can pass, and fatalities are very rare.