With gas prices soaring as high as five dollars per gallon in some parts of the United States, Americans are feeling the crunch, especially those who face long commutes to and from work every day. But a new study shows that higher gas prices may actually have the effect of saving lives on the American highways.
A recently completed study co-sponsored by the University of Alabama and Harvard Medical School suggests that higher gas prices result in fewer traffic accident fatalities. Specifically, the study compared the average price of gasoline with the number of vehicular fatalities from 1985 to 2006. A decline in fatal traffic accidents of 2.3% was found for every 10% increase in gas prices.
For younger drivers, rising gas prices had an even greater benefit: every time the price of gas increased by 10%, fatalities among 15 to 17 year-old drivers decreased by a whopping 6%. The Associated Press is reporting that with gas prices now much higher than when the study concluded in 2006, the US could experience 1000 fewer traffic related deaths per month.
The study’s co-author, Professor Michael Morrissey of the University of Alabama, noted that annual traffic fatality statistics are currently around 40,000 per year, so a decrease of 12,000 fatalities would actually cut the number of traffic deaths by one-third annually.
Conversely, the research also shows that lower gas prices are correlated with an increase in traffic fatalities. As the price of gas comes down, Americans tend to drive more, and drive faster. There is also clear evidence that Americans drive bigger cars when the price of gasoline is low, and smaller cars when the price goes up; a statistic that is not surprising at all considering the current brisk sales of hybrids and small, fuel-efficient cars.
Study shows that teenagers have the most to gain from higher gas prices. Because teens are traditionally the most risky drivers, rising fuel prices has the effect of keeping them off the roads to some extent, resulting in fewer teen traffic deaths.
The research also suggests that Americans tend to drive slower when the price of gas is higher. It is well known that automobile fuel efficiency goes up when cars are not driven as hard. The University of Alabama/Harvard medical school study suggest that this make also play a role in the declining death rate from traffic accidents when gas prices are high.
Traffic fatalities have been proven to decrease when drivers slow down a bit. Even a reduction in speed of just 5 mph produces a statistically relevant decrease in traffic fatalities nationwide. So while there is much complaining these days about the record high gas prices, there may also be a silver lining: safer roads.
Life evens itself out..Now our roads are safer, less cars and driving slower…Life works in strange ways. ALso our spending is more thought out. We are careful and make more prudent choices. You can walk more, ride your bike, run errands in groups and just think about what you are doing.
carol stanley author “For Kids 59.99 and Over”
http://www.carolstanley1.com
Comment by carol stanley — July 20, 2008 @ 11:40 am