Inequality In Car Accidents

October 2, 2015 in Daily Bulletin

Emily Badger and Christopher Ingraham wrote about inequality on the road:

  • While deaths as a result of traffic accidents have been dropping over the years, the declines have been focused on the most educated.
  • For those under 25 the rates of fatalities have actually increased.
  • In 1995 deaths from accidents were 2.5 times higher for those at the bottom of the education spectrum compared to those at the top. In 2010 the ratio was 4.3.
  • This is because those with less education are likely poorer and thus have older cars without modern safety features like side air bags and rear cameras.
  • Poorer areas also have fewer hospitals.
  • And poorer residents may not be able to muster the political strength to lobby for road safety features such as crosswalks, speed bumps and stop signs.
  • It’s unclear if seat belts or alcohol play a role in the differences.
  • This ratio will likely get worse as self-driving autonomous cars will, at first, only be affordable for the rich.

Read more over here.

Source: The Washington Post