High gas prices are forcing people to drive less, leading to a drop in vehicle fatalities. Four dollar a gallon gas will lead to about 1000 fewer deaths. It makes a lot of sense, higher gas prices force people to walk, ride bicycles, or take public transportation more. Or simply drive less, this translates into less fatalities in car crashes. People are also driving slower to save gas, leading to a further reduction in fatalities.
Almost 40,000 people were killed in car crashes last year, to put that into perspective only about 60,000 people American’s (thanks Chris) were killed in the Vietnam war.
So on top of all the ecological benefits of not driving your car, on top of all the money you would save, you have a far less chance of getting killed! Driving is dangerous in every way you can think, ecologically, physically, and economically. Stay safe people, drive less, drive slower, RIDE A BICYCLE!
“It is remarkable to think that a percent change in gas prices can equal lives saved, which is what our data show,” Morrisey said in a statement. “For every 10 percent rise in gas prices, fatalities are reduced by 2.3 percent. The effects are even more dramatic for teen drivers.”
The research included death rates and gas price changes from 1985 through 2006, and the calculated percent reduction in fatalities can be extrapolated to 2008 and beyond, Morrisey said.
In 2006, there were 42,642 total U.S. traffic deaths from 38,588 fatal crashes. the Fatality Analysis Reporting System reported.(via)
Here is another way to drive less: telecommute to work. A worker who telecommutes twice a week would save about $450 a year in gas costs and spend less time driving during peak rush hours. Try checking out the Drive $marter Challenge ( http://drivesmarterchallenge.org ) for additional ways to drive less and save money on gas – Kat, Alliance to Save Energy
Do you think the children will ask those in my not-so-great generation of elders, “When did you see the good scientific evidence of what everyone knew? Why did you not say anything, even though you did not know precisely what to do? How on Earth could you stand by, as if hysterically blind, willfully deaf and electively mute, and allow “…the greed….of a thousand little kings…†who arrogantly see and proclaim themselves “masters of the universe†to precipitate the destruction of life as we know it and God’s Creation in the early years of Century XXI?”
60,000 AMERICANS were killed in the Vietnam war. There were some 4-6 million others who also died in that conflict.
I don’t drive often not because of the price but because I live at the beach and walking is not to much of a hassle. I am curious though as to why exactly the prices are so high. I am hoping that I can learn tonight when peter greenberg talks about gas prices. http://yovia.com/peter-greenberg-and-larry-king-to-discuss-oil-prices