Are motor vehicles safer? [View all]
And for whom?
If you count by vehicle miles travelled motor vehicles are much safer. they are safer still in Europe.
If you count by deaths per capita we are still killing people at the same rate as in 1921.
Why the discrepancy? Vehicle safety mandates (regulations) and road construction mandates to make it safer to be in a vehicle. Seat belts, airbags, crumplezones all make it safer to be IN a motor vehicle. Also the breakaway posts, clear zones beside highspeed roads all make it safer for drivers.
Now it is becoming more dangerous for those outside the motor vehicles. Huge wall front ends, bigger heavier vehicles, more powerful vehicles, no safety rails (as in Europe) between the wheels of trucks, lack of visibilty from the drivers seat around the vehicles. All are adding up to more deaths for pedestrians and cyclists.
More data here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_vehicle_fatality_rate_in_U.S._by_year
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