Eminent Domain Stuff
New London Update (2/24/06)
Bad NLDC!
Coverage of the Rally at New London's City Hall (w/ pics)
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Traffic Deaths
Here’s a story that's likely to get some play. Apparently 2003:
was the fifth straight year road deaths rose, although passenger car fatalities decreased. Sport utility vehicle deaths went up roughly 10 percent over 2002, with more than half of the victims in those crashes killed in rollovers. Motorcycle deaths also jumped.
Sounds bad, and obviously every such death is. But wait:
Despite the increase in the annual death count, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled remained constant at 1.5 deaths because more people were on the road.
You’d think that would be the end of discussion. But it’s not. The article goes on to express concern over the potential for SUVs to roll over. Obviously, given their higher center of gravity they are more likely to roll over than a car. However, here’s what they have to say about traffic deaths and SUVs:
Sport utility deaths went up by 456 with more than two- thirds of victims not wearing seat belts, the safety agency said.
That’s right two thirds of people killed in SUVs were not wearing their seatbelts. So what’s the problem here? I’d have to go out on a limb and say it’s people’s continued stupidity. Do SUVs lead to more deaths? It’s possible, but the issue is not nearly as cut and dry as some would have you think.
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Here’s a story that's likely to get some play. Apparently 2003:
was the fifth straight year road deaths rose, although passenger car fatalities decreased. Sport utility vehicle deaths went up roughly 10 percent over 2002, with more than half of the victims in those crashes killed in rollovers. Motorcycle deaths also jumped.
Sounds bad, and obviously every such death is. But wait:
Despite the increase in the annual death count, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled remained constant at 1.5 deaths because more people were on the road.
You’d think that would be the end of discussion. But it’s not. The article goes on to express concern over the potential for SUVs to roll over. Obviously, given their higher center of gravity they are more likely to roll over than a car. However, here’s what they have to say about traffic deaths and SUVs:
Sport utility deaths went up by 456 with more than two- thirds of victims not wearing seat belts, the safety agency said.
That’s right two thirds of people killed in SUVs were not wearing their seatbelts. So what’s the problem here? I’d have to go out on a limb and say it’s people’s continued stupidity. Do SUVs lead to more deaths? It’s possible, but the issue is not nearly as cut and dry as some would have you think.
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