Poll: Auto Accident Fatalities and Injuries

[Ernie]

This is a thread to discuss Auto Accident Fatalities and Injuries.

In particular, I would like discussion on...

1. How can a culture become so "comfortable" with the amount of deaths and injuries by auto accidents?
2. Why do millions of Americans offer prayers and get quite emotionally involved whenever 6-200 people are killed in a single tragedy, but do not seem to care much about the 44,000 people who die every year in auto accidents and the 2 million Americans that are permanently injured every year?
3. Why have auto accident fatalities increased so drastically since 2019? (13% higher)
4. Why were auto fatalities higher in 2020 and 2021 as compared with 2022 and 2023?
5. What could be done on a national level to drastically reduce the number of auto accident fatalities in 2024 and subsequent years, until new policies or a new culture take effect?
6. What can Christians (who value life and are alarmed at the number of fatalities and injuries) do in 2024 and subsequent years to make a difference?
7. In particular, what can Christians do at a grass roots level to help reduce the two most common causes for accidents? (distracted driving and speeding)
8. Should churches who practice church discipline initiate any sort of discipline for those who participate in distracted driving and speeding?
9. Do Christians who pray and ask God to protect them while they travel, experience fewer accidents, as compared with those who don't bother to do so? (And for the record, I plan to continue this practice, regardless of the answer to this question.)
10. As Christians, there are things we can do to avoid causing accidents. Are there things we can also do to reduce our chances of being an accident victim? If so, what are some reasonable things we can do?

Top 25 Causes for Car Accidents

Motor Vehicle Fatalities by Year - Wiki

Please keep partisan comments/debates out of this thread - avoid comments that reflect negatively on either right-leaning or left leaning political persuasions or characters. Please keep this thread focused on the topic.

[RZehr]

This topic isn’t a big, or even medium sized, concern of mine. Because everything in life carries risks. And when something - automobile travel - has massive upsides, and quite low risks, that is something worth doing and leave the risk to God. This isn’t like rock or mountain climbing, where the upside is pointless, and the downside is needless death.

Yes, Christians ought to follow traffic safety laws. We have a couple new churches in town and near neighbors. The congregation had to be reminded repeatedly over the pulpit to drive slower through the neighborhood because of neighbor complaints. I think at times such as that, it is appropriate for the church to not be silent on the matter.

[Ernie]

This topic isn’t a big, or even medium sized, concern of mine. Because everything in life carries risks. And when something - automobile travel - has massive upsides, and quite low risks, that is something worth doing and leave the risk to God. This isn’t like rock or mountain climbing, where the upside is pointless, and the downside is needless death.

But what if a nation could reduce the number of deaths and permanent injuries by 50%. Wouldn't that be worth it? That is 22,000 fewer deaths per year and 1 million less permanent injuries per year in the USA.
As my uncle once said, "If a family member you loved was killed or permanently injured in an auto accident, it might make us think differently about this topic."

There are a number of developed countries who have less than half the number of deaths and permanent injuries that the US has.
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the ... world.html

[RZehr]

This topic isn’t a big, or even medium sized, concern of mine. Because everything in life carries risks. And when something - automobile travel - has massive upsides, and quite low risks, that is something worth doing and leave the risk to God. This isn’t like rock or mountain climbing, where the upside is pointless, and the downside is needless death.

But what if a nation could reduce the number of deaths and permanent injuries by 50%. Wouldn't that be worth it? That is 22,000 fewer deaths per year and 1 million less permanent injuries per year in the USA.
As my uncle once said, "If a family member you loved was killed or permanently injured in an auto accident, it might make us think differently about this topic."

There are a number of developed countries who have less than half the number of deaths and permanent injuries that the US has.
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the ... world.html

That’s quite a list of insignificant countries that no one has ever heard of. Not comparable to the US in population or size, or public transport. Population for city comparison, size for bedroom communities, commutes, interstate system, long distance trucking.

We could reduce it by 100% if we quit driving completely.

It’s kind of a trick question. What amount is acceptable? Well, we might say any death is tragic and there isn’t a single death that is “acceptable”. But in reality, if you drive or ride in a car, your actions prove otherwise, and prove that yes, in fact you do accept the risks.


Sure, if we can reduce it, let’s do it. But I’m content with current rates, and will continue to drive and ride in cars in the meantime.

What would the cost be that you are prepared to pay in order to reduce the rate by say 20%?

[Sudsy]

This is a thread to discuss Auto Accident Fatalities and Injuries.

In particular, I would like discussion on...

1. How can a culture become so "comfortable" with the amount of deaths and injuries by auto accidents?
Perhaps because the perceived benefits are worth the risk ?
2. Why do millions of Americans offer prayers and get quite emotionally involved whenever 6-200 people are killed in a single tragedy, but do not seem to care much about the 44,000 people who die every year in auto accidents and the 2 million Americans that are permanently injured every year?
Perhaps because people are more naturally concerned about current tragedy especially if it is close to home ?
3. Why have auto accident fatalities increased so drastically since 2019? (13% higher)
Perhaps because of the desire to go places and have things as fast as they can be obtained ? Being patient is not too popular.
4. Why were auto fatalities higher in 2020 and 2021 as compared with 2022 and 2023?
Have no idea.
5. What could be done on a national level to drastically reduce the number of auto accident fatalities in 2024 and subsequent years, until new policies or a new culture take effect?
Perhaps increase the price of gas even higher ? Like double ? I hope not.
6. What can Christians (who value life and are alarmed at the number of fatalities and injuries) do in 2024 and subsequent years to make a difference?
Stay at home more ? Obey all speed limits ?
7. In particular, what can Christians do at a grass roots level to help reduce the two most common causes for accidents? (distracted driving and speeding)
Don't smoke grass Sorry, couldn't pass that one up.
8. Should churches who practice church discipline initiate any sort of discipline for those who participate in distracted driving and speeding?
I'll leave this one up to those who do practise church discipline.
9. Do Christians who pray and ask God to protect them while they travel, experience fewer accidents, as compared with those who don't bother to do so? (And for the record, I plan to continue this practice, regardless of the answer to this question.)
Never saw any stats anywhere proving this.
10. As Christians, there are things we can do to avoid causing accidents. Are there things we can also do to reduce our chances of being an accident victim? If so, what are some reasonable things we can do?
Obey the traffic laws. Turn the other cheek when someone cuts you off. Just doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Top 25 Causes for Car Accidents

Motor Vehicle Fatalities by Year - Wiki

Please keep partisan comments/debates out of this thread - avoid comments that reflect negatively on either right-leaning or left leaning political persuasions or characters. Please keep this thread focused on the topic.

I tend to think that this is not an area that I would consider that I need to put more focus on. I have no personal convictions here other than I have not always responded as I should when people don't obey traffic laws that are a threat to me and others. My flesh sometimes wants to do some kind of push back on what some drivers do. But I get the same treatments from others who don't approve of some of my driving habits. I get the occasional finger or being cut off as others don't approve of some of my driving moves even when I might be the one trying to follow the law.

I find driving one of those areas that can test my forgiveness attitide toward those who I feel mis-treat me in their ways or expectations of my ways of driving. I haven't arrived yet at that state of total sanctification where I always respond in a way that I believe would please Jesus. Something to keep working on.

[Ernie]

That’s quite a list of insignificant countries that no one has ever heard of.

Really???? It looks like you noticed the insignificant ones and skimmed over the significant ones that are comparable to the US.
3 Sweden 2.8
5 United Kingdom 2.9
7 Switzerland 3.3
8 Netherlands 3.4
9 Denmark 3.5
11 Israel 3.6
13 Spain 3.7
14 Norway 3.8
15 Ireland 4.1
16 Germany 4.3
18 Japan 4.7
19 Finland 4.8
21 France 5.1

[RZehr]

In the United States, the road traffic death rate stood at 10.6 highway deaths per 100,000 people annually while Canada has a traffic death rate of 6.0 per 100,000 people. While much worse than European norms, these did not even approach those of the world’s highest rates, where annual traffic deaths in excess of 30 occurrences per 100,000 people are registered. Thailand has the highest death rate at 36.2, with Malawi following closely behind with 35.0 deaths per 100,000 people. Many of the victims are often cyclists or pedestrians, who are using the same highways and byways as motor vehicles are.

Reduce cyclists and pedestrians. Drive more cars.

[barnhart]

Much has been done through legislation like vehicle safety standards and improved road design. Simple things like car seats and seat belts have made a significant difference. NYC has been participating in an international movement for traffic safety called vision zero where the goal is no pedestrian fatalities. Some of the ideas I suspect will make long term improvements like moving bike lanes to the far side of parking lanes so parked cars serve as traffic barriers, pedestrian islands with trees at the end of each block that reduce the number of lanes pedestrians must cross and calm traffic by placing trees closer to drivers.

A large contributor to traffic injury is distracted driving. More awareness would be good.

[Josh]

This topic isn’t a big, or even medium sized, concern of mine. Because everything in life carries risks. And when something - automobile travel - has massive upsides, and quite low risks, that is something worth doing and leave the risk to God. This isn’t like rock or mountain climbing, where the upside is pointless, and the downside is needless death.

But what if a nation could reduce the number of deaths and permanent injuries by 50%. Wouldn't that be worth it? That is 22,000 fewer deaths per year and 1 million less permanent injuries per year in the USA.
As my uncle once said, "If a family member you loved was killed or permanently injured in an auto accident, it might make us think differently about this topic."

There are a number of developed countries who have less than half the number of deaths and permanent injuries that the US has.
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the ... world.html

These counties have a different demographic than the U.S. does. As America becomes more of a Central American population, we are getting more of a Central American auto fatality rate.

In addition, we have created a culture which places primary emphasis on being attached to a smartphone at all times, which increases auto accidents. Likewise we have a culture that values drunkenness, which also increases accidents. And we have not created a culture which values abiding with traffic regulations, and we also have a lawless government which passes endless new laws that it doesn’t enforce. (Quite a few politicians and activists have proposed that cops shouldn’t pull people over for running stop signs, having expired plates, running red lights, or speeding, in the name of “racial equality”.)

[Josh]

Much has been done through legislation like vehicle safety standards and improved road design. Simple things like car seats and seat belts have made a significant difference. NYC has been participating in an international movement for traffic safety called vision zero where the goal is no pedestrian fatalities. Some of the ideas I suspect will make long term improvements like moving bike lanes to the far side of parking lanes so parked cars serve as traffic barriers, pedestrian islands with trees at the end of each block that reduce the number of lanes pedestrians must cross and calm traffic by placing trees closer to drivers.

A large contributor to traffic injury is distracted driving. More awareness would be good.

Yet despite all these things happening, the fatality rate just keeps climbing higher.