Highway Traffic Safety
Newly released estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)…5/17/22…show traffic fatalities reached a 16-year high in 2021 of 42,915. Additionally, the traffic fatalities in the following categories showed relatively large increases in 2021, as compared to 2020.
* Fatalities in multi-vehicle crashes up 16%.
* Fatalities on urban roads up 16%.
* Fatalities among drivers 65 and older up 14%.
* Fatalities in crashes involoving at least one large truck up 13%.
* Daytime fatalities up 11%.
* Motorcyclist fatalities up 9%.
* Bicyclist fatalities up 5%.
* Fatalities in speeding-related crashes up 5%.
* Fatalities in police-reported alcohol-involvement up 5%.
“We face a crisis on America’s roadways that we must address together”, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
* Statistics are very deceiving. 42,915 fatalities is a very small % of a population of 330,000,000, and does not worry you: until a member of your family is one of them!
* Systems and rules that address the above situations are in place, but are being ignored and/or abused. There is an indifferent attitude toward traffic safety in the U.S.!
* Other countries are using technology and enforcement to address their problems (i.e., strict punishment for ignoring or abusing rules, and technology to prevent driver’s errors in judgement).
+ Why are drunks allowed to leave a bar, restaurant, or party and operate a vehicle?
+ Why are distracted drivers able to enter a roadway at an exit?
+Why are Speed Limit signs ignored?
+Why are teenagers with little or no experience allowed to drive any car; let alone one filled with other teenagers?
NO COMMON SENSE!
ANALYZE THE EXAMPLE
* What supports and barriers are in play?
* What were the dynamics?
* Who, or what, won the Tug-Of-War?
* Discuss the outcome with your family and friends.
* Use Post #4 as a reference for the dynamics and the relationships between supports and barriers.
