Americans are in total collective denial about how lethal our car dependency is. We have to stop normalizing the suffering caused by cars, Erin Sagen writes.
— to lower fatalities and accidents by simply driving better seems like an effort in futility. “It’s usually not reckless driving that causes accidents,” Davis says, “but everyday driving that we all do.”
It’s true that, with the exception of the past few years, cars generally have become safer for drivers and passengers since the 1970s. But our rate of violence is still exceptionally high: In Canada, 5.34 people per 100,000 die each year in road traffic; in Japan, it’s 3.6. In the United States, we’re at 12.6.
is because they are more likely to have to walk to get places, which is riskier than driving, and live in neighborhoods that are more likely to lack safety features like crosswalks even as high-speed freeways with dangerous crossing conditions often tear through them. Children, meanwhile, are inherently more vulnerable because of their smaller size. Being less visible on roadways or sidewalks increases their risks of being hit — even in their own driveways.
Most Americans alive today have known a family member or friend who’s at least been involved in a fender bender, a cheeky way of saying minor collision. The same month my dad was flipped over in his SUV and cut out of his seatbelt by first responders, a coworker was commuting home when a driver T-boned her bus in the middle of a major intersection. She sustained back and shoulder injuries, not unlike my dad; nearly two years later, like my dad, she still has flare-ups that limit her mobility.
Envisioning an alternative to this mess might be impossible for many of us, but we have to. However complicated the issue is, the logic is simple: We need to open our eyes and see that we’re at the end of the road.Erin Sagen is a freelance journalist based in Seattle who covers parenting, health, and culture. Her work has appeared at the Washington Post, Shondaland,
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Government policies are stoking demand and strangling supply. So why is the Fed surprised by the inevitable inflation?OPINION: Policy makers should not have been caught off guard by surging prices and shortages of goods and labor. Here’s why.
Lire la suite »
Director 'gutted' by death of cinematographer in accidental shootingThe movie director who was shot and injured in an on-set accident involving actor Alec Baldwin said on Saturday he was 'gutted' by the death of the cinematographer.
Lire la suite »
Lives lost behind-the-scene: Timeline of fatal on-set movie accidents, injuriesWhile several fatal accidents have garnered public attention, like the 1993 shooting death of actor Brandon Lee during filming for 'The Crow,' others behind-the-scenes often go unnoticed. Here's a timeline of fatal on-set movie accidents:
Lire la suite »
Massachusetts police recover body presumed to be missing boyMassachusetts State Police have recovered the presumed body of Elijah Lewis, a 5-year-old boy from New Hampshire who was reported missing earlier this month, authorities announced Saturday.
Lire la suite »
Laundrie Family Attorney Says No Cause or Matter of Death Identified in AutopsyLaundrie's remains will now be sent to an anthropologist for further examination.
Lire la suite »