Are we really driving well??

[CourierDriver]

On average in 2012, 92 people were killed on the roadways of the U.S. each day in 30,800 fatal crashes.[1]

The number of deaths – and deaths relative to the total population – have declined over the last two decades. From 1979 to 2005, the number of deaths per year decreased 14.97% while the number of deaths per capita decreased by 35.46%. In 2010, there were an estimated 5,419,000 crashes (30,296 fatal crashes), killing 32,999 and injuring 2,239,000.[2] The 32,479 traffic fatalities in 2011 were the lowest in 62 years (1949). Records indicate that there has been a total of 3,551,332 motor vehicle deaths in the United States from 1899 to 2012.


Note, we are killing each other faster by far then any of the Middle East wars we have been fighting in---so ugh, which is more dangerous??

 

[dlundblad]

I wonder if cell phone usage plays a huge role in this?

Cell phone ban anyone? Yeah its illegal to text and drive here, but people still do it!

As said several times before, cars kill more than guns.

 

[whip]

The vast majority of people are bad drivers. Deaths are going down because the cars are safer. It has nothing to do with the drivers.

You're 3 times more likely to die in an auto accident than you are by a gun, and yet very little is done to prevent accidents.

 

[Food Scientist]

Just coming back from Colombia a majority of drivers in the US are "good" drivers compared to people down there. Main difference though is the speed in the US is so much higher due to lack of congestion. Or look at of those crash compilation videos - most of them are in Russia, so I still think there are far worse drivers than in the US.

 

[OneEyeJack]

I was watching a YouTube video of drivers in China. If you think drivers here are bad drivers you should see one of these videos. In several accidents where a pedestrian or motorcyclist was hit no one stopped. People and cars got nailed in intersections that looked like a war zone. A motorcycle hit might mean more than two people down. Big trucks rule the roads. They don't give an inch to anyone. I'll take rush hour traffic here in California over any traffic in China.

 

[HerrStig]

The accident rate on urban Autobahn segments is LOWER than our rural interstate rates. Of course Aunt Tilly wouldn't last long on an Autobahn.

 

[Whitewolf]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I wonder if cell phone usage plays a huge role in this?

Cell phone ban anyone? Yeah its illegal to text and drive here, but people still do it!

As said several times before, cars kill more than guns.


You bet cell phones play a big part in this. Just look around you when you are driving and see how many people are either on a call or texting! Even hands free is a distraction. It has been suggested that telephone and texting are the cause of more accidents than drunk driving.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Whitewolf
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I wonder if cell phone usage plays a huge role in this?

Cell phone ban anyone? Yeah its illegal to text and drive here, but people still do it!

As said several times before, cars kill more than guns.


You bet cell phones play a big part in this. Just look around you when you are driving and see how many people are either on a call or texting! Even hands free is a distraction. It has been suggested that telephone and texting are the cause of more accidents than drunk driving.
And soon stoners will be everywhere as well.

 

[NHGUY]

6 million Jewish killed in WW2 Germany.When you look at that number 3.5 mil pales in comparison.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: Whitewolf
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I wonder if cell phone usage plays a huge role in this?

Cell phone ban anyone? Yeah its illegal to text and drive here, but people still do it!

As said several times before, cars kill more than guns.


You bet cell phones play a big part in this. Just look around you when you are driving and see how many people are either on a call or texting! Even hands free is a distraction. It has been suggested that telephone and texting are the cause of more accidents than drunk driving.
And soon stoners will be everywhere as well.


My first line was supposed to be a bit of sarcasm.

During our first spring together, the girlfriend and I were rear ended twice in the same month. Once when we took her Volvo shopping and another in my moms wrangler when we were taking my sick dog to the vet. Both were by kids who wouldn't stay off their cell phones even with the cop there. The guy that hit the Jeep even tried paying me off with $60 if I didnt call the cops. I over exatured a bit, but I said "buddy, this is a $35k loaded Jeep. $60 wont pay for anything other than a tank of gas."

I could tell he was upset, but oh well.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Back in the late 70's, my best friend read-ended my girlfriend in HIS car. To say I was very displeased about this incident is an understatement!

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Back in the late 70's, my best friend read-ended my girlfriend in HIS car. To say I was very displeased about this incident is an understatement!


This can be taken two ways.

 

[KGMtech]

Deaths fall, due to safer cars. However injuries to lower legs are higher....in the past the driver would be killed, so the lower leg damage was not so important.

Cell phone, navagation systems are prime culprits to increased accidents. In this day of technology, you'd think we'd have automatic blocking of text function while vehicle is in motion - provided the vehicle has only one occupant.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
6 million Jewish killed in WW2 Germany.When you look at that number 3.5 mil pales in comparison.


40 million people were killed in WWII

 

[Doog]

I would estimate that you could reduce traffic accident fatalities in the United States by 50% if you change just ONE thing in all vehicles: Ban all automatic transmissions except for handicapped people.

You would then have two things happen immediately:

1. No cell phone usage
2. Drivers would have a higher skill level and attention level when behind the wheel.

 

[Oil Changer]

Good statistic to have in your back pocket for the ant-gun nuts.

 

[Lapham3]

Cars are safer today, but also more roadways in metro areas are better designed with more divided highways and fewer higher speed at grade intersections, so more same direction sideswips and rollovers=injured rather than dead. The rural areas are mostly the same as the past and many of the accidents are the bad ones with the headons and T-bones. For some reason around this area lots of rural people won't use seat belts and many of the 'dumb kid' and DWI accidents are those fatals. The metro area has thousands of third world people that mostly drive terrible old cars terribly.

 

[Spazdog]

Drivers are bad.

Couple that with the fact that people that know they are bad drivers feel that they need a large vehicle.


"I can't drive no little bitty car. I'm too hard on cars."
Interpretation: I destroy vehicles because of my ineptitude. Evidenced by various damage to body of the 3/4 ton truck.

"I had to get my wife a Suburban so she wouldn't kill herself in a wreck."
Interpretation: My wife drives so poorly that we needed to out mass whatever she is going to hit this time.


I think perhaps we should make everyone start out with a moped. You become a lot more aware of your surroundings, road conditions, etc... when you are at 30mph flat out and exposed on every side. You could graduate to a Kei-car sized vehicle after that.

 

[dlundblad]

^That would be my girlfriends mom..

The GF's sister and BIL are looking for a new vehicle. (because his needs new shocks and brakes?

) They were looking at an escape which clearly is a decent car and will do better in snow than his Pontiac Bonneville and get decent fuel mileage. They also looked at a Cherokee with the 4.0.

He already complains about fuel costs, but her mom is pushing they get a Navigator because its size. (It cant be an expedition.. it has to be a Navigator too.)

I only give my advice when asked, and stay out of it after that. The girlfriend agrees with me and we just sit back and listen. Lol.

 

[Whitewolf]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Back in the late 70's, my best friend read-ended my girlfriend in HIS car. To say I was very displeased about this incident is an understatement!


This can be taken two ways.

Funny, that's where my mind went too.