4 ms·

> Our streets and highways are dangerous, and it’s clear that the current system isn’t working. In 1970, there were about 26 traffic fatalities per 100,000. To

> Our streets and highways are dangerous, and it’s clear that the current system isn’t working. In 1970, there were about 26 traffic fatalities per 100,000. Today, that number is down over 50% to 12. We are doing something right.

paulryanrogers 3y ago
That stat doesn't capture all the life altering injuries or financial losses. Cars are incredibly powerful and dangerous compared to lesser modes like walking, bicycling, or even scooters.
- Aloha 3y ago
  If you did look at life altering injuries and financial losses, you'd find fewer of those too - cars today are measurably safer, from tires, to better seatbelts, to airbags, to ABS - cars in virtually every way are safer. I'm actually reasonably certain that bicycles and scooters are more dangerous than cars. The one exception to this is danger to others, modern cars are probably more dangerous to pedestrians than cars in 1976.
  - arcticbull 3y ago
    > I'm actually reasonably certain that bicycles and scooters are more dangerous than cars. They're only dangerous where they're getting hit by cars. If you're doing a handful miles an hour with a helmet on it's pretty hard to get actually hurt.
    - Aloha 3y ago
      There is a dearth of statistics here, but uhh, judging by the number of friends I've had to transport to or from a hospital from bike accidents I'm at least on the surface skeptical.
  - tomjakubowski 3y ago
    In the United States, vehicle fatality rates for pedestrians are lower now than in 1981, but they are increasing, and at a staggering rate. Likely due to a combination of more distracted driving, changes in road design, and larger vehicles with worse visibility. https://www.vox.com/23784549/pedestrian-deaths-traffic-safety-fatalities-governors-association https://www.vox.com/23784549/pedestrian-deaths-traffic-safet...
woodruffw 3y ago
The first mandatory seatbelt laws weren't passed until the 1980s[1]; that and frontal airbags (not required until 1998[2]) probably cover a large amount of the overall decline in deaths on our roads. That's to say that we have done some things right, but that it's premature to assume that we've done all we can. We can, and should, go further (including but not limited to traffic calming, disincentivizing driving where it makes sense, and making the legal and educational requirements for driving similar to those in European countries.) [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seat_belt_laws_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seat_belt_laws_in_the_United_S... [2]: https://www.autonews.com/cars-concepts-history/us-frontal-airbag-mandate-becomes-law-1998 https://www.autonews.com/cars-concepts-history/us-frontal-ai...
- Aloha 3y ago
  For the uninitiated, how do differing european rules make people safer?
  - woodruffw 3y ago
    > For the uninitiated, how do differing european rules make people safer? By and large, they're substantially stricter. Using Germany as an example[1]: they require potential drivers to take a multi-segment first aid, submit to a recent optical exam, and perform at least 37 hours of officially overseen driving practice. I believe there are additional training segments that German drivers are required to pass as well, but I'll let an actual German (or other European) speak about those. For contrast: in New York (a somewhat strict state, by US standards), there is no hours of practice requirement once you're over 18. I don't believe there's a medical knowledge requirement either, and the DMV accepts whatever optical record you give them. Germany's car fatality rate is roughly a quarter of the US's[2]. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_licence_in_Germany https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_licence_in_Germany [2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-r...
    - grandmczeb 3y ago
grandmczeb 3y ago
Worth stating that “something right” in this case is adopting life-saving technologies like seatbelts and airbags, exactly the kind of thing the original article is arguing against.

paulryanrogers 3y ago

That stat doesn't capture all the life altering injuries or financial losses. Cars are incredibly powerful and dangerous compared to lesser modes like walking, bicycling, or even scooters.

Aloha 3y ago
If you did look at life altering injuries and financial losses, you'd find fewer of those too - cars today are measurably safer, from tires, to better seatbelts, to airbags, to ABS - cars in virtually every way are safer. I'm actually reasonably certain that bicycles and scooters are more dangerous than cars. The one exception to this is danger to others, modern cars are probably more dangerous to pedestrians than cars in 1976.
- arcticbull 3y ago
  > I'm actually reasonably certain that bicycles and scooters are more dangerous than cars. They're only dangerous where they're getting hit by cars. If you're doing a handful miles an hour with a helmet on it's pretty hard to get actually hurt.
  - Aloha 3y ago
    There is a dearth of statistics here, but uhh, judging by the number of friends I've had to transport to or from a hospital from bike accidents I'm at least on the surface skeptical.
- tomjakubowski 3y ago
  In the United States, vehicle fatality rates for pedestrians are lower now than in 1981, but they are increasing, and at a staggering rate. Likely due to a combination of more distracted driving, changes in road design, and larger vehicles with worse visibility. https://www.vox.com/23784549/pedestrian-deaths-traffic-safety-fatalities-governors-association https://www.vox.com/23784549/pedestrian-deaths-traffic-safet...

woodruffw 3y ago

The first mandatory seatbelt laws weren't passed until the 1980s[1]; that and frontal airbags (not required until 1998[2]) probably cover a large amount of the overall decline in deaths on our roads. That's to say that we have done some things right, but that it's premature to assume that we've done all we can. We can, and should, go further (including but not limited to traffic calming, disincentivizing driving where it makes sense, and making the legal and educational requirements for driving similar to those in European countries.) [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seat_belt_laws_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seat_belt_laws_in_the_United_S... [2]: https://www.autonews.com/cars-concepts-history/us-frontal-airbag-mandate-becomes-law-1998 https://www.autonews.com/cars-concepts-history/us-frontal-ai...

Aloha 3y ago
For the uninitiated, how do differing european rules make people safer?
- woodruffw 3y ago
  > For the uninitiated, how do differing european rules make people safer? By and large, they're substantially stricter. Using Germany as an example[1]: they require potential drivers to take a multi-segment first aid, submit to a recent optical exam, and perform at least 37 hours of officially overseen driving practice. I believe there are additional training segments that German drivers are required to pass as well, but I'll let an actual German (or other European) speak about those. For contrast: in New York (a somewhat strict state, by US standards), there is no hours of practice requirement once you're over 18. I don't believe there's a medical knowledge requirement either, and the DMV accepts whatever optical record you give them. Germany's car fatality rate is roughly a quarter of the US's[2]. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_licence_in_Germany https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_licence_in_Germany [2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-r...
  - grandmczeb 3y ago

grandmczeb 3y ago

Worth stating that “something right” in this case is adopting life-saving technologies like seatbelts and airbags, exactly the kind of thing the original article is arguing against.