WTOP: DC experienced a 63% increase in highway deaths

[Anonymous]

They claimed the blames goes mostly to “speeding” but that doesn’t sound true; people have always sped and always been able to.

Cars are safer than ever, with the newest technology.

What is really to blame for such a massive jump in deaths?

[Anonymous]

Let's talk about the real DC numbers. It was 8 in 2021 and 13 in 2022. It's more likely to have a high occupancy vehicle involved in a crash or two than to make sweeping generalizations about year over year enhanced safety with new technology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They claimed the blames goes mostly to “speeding” but that doesn’t sound true; people have always sped and always been able to.

Cars are safer than ever, with the newest technology.

What is really to blame for such a massive jump in deaths?

Um, it's speeding and the fact that cars have become giant and more dangerous.

[Anonymous]

I hate to ask, but is the variation within the error bars for the measurement?

I know, I know, chill out. Don't do science. Just feel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's talk about the real DC numbers. It was 8 in 2021 and 13 in 2022. It's more likely to have a high occupancy vehicle involved in a crash or two than to make sweeping generalizations about year over year enhanced safety with new technology.

What was it in 2019? That would be a more valid point of comparison as opposed to a Covid year when a lot fewer people were commuting or traveling.

[Anonymous]

As noted, we are dealing with small numbers when we focus on DC and the % change sounds dramatic.

That said, this is part of a national trend:
NHTSA Early Estimates Show Record Increase in Fatalities Nationwide
https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/early-estimates-first-quarter-2022
...
"NHTSA estimates that 9,560 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the first quarter of 2022. This is an increase of about 7% as compared to the 8,935 fatalities projected for the same quarter in 2021. This would be the highest number of first-quarter fatalities since 2002."

I have read that Covid cleared the streets of traffic and dangerous driving habits became the new normal; the older office workers and school buses were parked while the roads were left to younger, more aggressive drivers. As people start driving again they adapted to the newer, more dangerous habits of those on the roads.
Plus, I think many folks are just burned out and DGAF.

[Anonymous]

Here is the TOP link:

https://wtop.com/national/2022/08/us-traffic-deaths-once-in-decline-continue-to-rise-in-2022/

[Anonymous]

It’s the damn cell phones and DC’s toxic “striver” culture.

[Anonymous]

Traffic has gotten really bad since the pandemic. People are either aggressive or completely checked out. I hate driving these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They claimed the blames goes mostly to “speeding” but that doesn’t sound true; people have always sped and always been able to.

Cars are safer than ever, with the newest technology.

What is really to blame for such a massive jump in deaths?

Um, it's speeding and the fact that cars have become giant and more dangerous.

It's also because people were hiding in their homes from the rona for much of 21. Fewer cars on the road = fewer road deaths.

[Anonymous]

Cell phones.

It's not the speeding, its the distracted driving. Even on hands free calls, people are not focusing fully on their surroundings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cell phones.

It's not the speeding, its the distracted driving. Even on hands free calls, people are not focusing fully on their surroundings.

I think recording video while driving is currently a huge problem. I see people on instagram stories all day long who are talking into their camera while on the road. Sure, it's mounted and they are hands free, but it's still a distraction.

And I'm not even on tik tok so if I think it's a widespread issue based on one social media platform alone, it must be a disaster on a broader level.

[Anonymous]

This is a ridiculous level of click bait. The "jump" from 8 to 13, comparing quarters when no one drove to now when the roads are normal again is not even newsworthy. So dumb.

[Anonymous]

It's because no one was on the road during COVID.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They claimed the blames goes mostly to “speeding” but that doesn’t sound true; people have always sped and always been able to.
Cars are safer than ever, with the newest technology.
What is really to blame for such a massive jump in deaths?

Um, it's speeding and the fact that cars have become giant and more dangerous.

It's also because people were hiding in their homes from the rona for much of 21. Fewer cars on the road = fewer road deaths.

The hitch is that the national deaths total in 2022 is on track to be higher than 2021.
2021 was higher than 2020.
2020 was higher than 2019.
We are heading in the wrong direction, undoing 20 years of safety progress.
From the NHTSA release about the first quarter data: "would be the highest number of first-quarter fatalities since 2002."