Fuck Cars
A place to discuss problems of car centric infrastructure or how it hurts us all. Let's explore the bad world of Cars!
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Cars are safer? What are you talking about?
https://www.npr.org/2023/06/26/1184034017/us-pedestrian-deaths-high-traffic-car
I've joined this instance for a reason, because I agree with it's message. But what you've posted here is misleading. Cars have gotten safer over the years. Seatbelts, airbags, drive by wire, etc have all helped do that. The link you've posted refers to the US, which does matter in this case. Cos, globally, there has been a 5% drop in road user deaths since 2010 (and some countries have had some huge drops, over 50% isn't super rare), partly cos of these increased safety measures. So, yeah, cars have objectively gotten safer. The US' problem stems more from other issues like culture, infrastructure, individual attitudes etc.
Reversal of the safety trends occurred in the US just when SUV became the dominant car type in new car sales. Europe and other countries are slowly approaching this pivotal point. There is a risk that these results will be replicated in other countries after that is approached. Therefore we can't dismiss this US only (for now) phenomenon.
I mean, sure, we can't outright dismiss it. Espexially as there was a slight rise in the death rate of vulnerable road users (ie, those not in a vehicle) globally. But let's look at those countries I mentioned who have significantly dropped their death rates. Even if they somehow manage to get the same 40% increase in pedestrian deaths, their total is still gonna go down. And I doubt it'll rise anywhere near close to that 40%, if it even does rise, as they do things like have better public transport, higher petrol taxes that discourage driving so much, higher taxes on "yank tanks", better designed roads for all users, lowering speed limits, initiatives like what Japan does where they ban on street parking at night in busy areas so pedestrians and cyclists can be more easily seen, things like that. You know, actually being proactive about the issue. I wouldn't be using the US as a global barometer for anything besides obesity rates. Cos here's another example, and I know it's not just America who has this problem, but global gun related deaths dropped ever so slightly between 1990-2016 despite the US' rising (admittedly, not by much cos it start to show a drop for a while). Because a bunch of countries have done the work to reduce their death tolls, which counters the insanity of those few countries who haven't. Cos other countries give two shits about their citizens.