This @FT piece is the best examination of US crash deaths that I've seen in ages. The US is so bad at this: "Even after adjusting for distance driven, US fatality rates remain 2x the rich-world average." Here's a quick 🧵 to share insights (paywall). ft.com/content/9c936d…
Note that the US pedestrian safety crisis revolves around a few exceptionally dangerous states (looking at you, Texas and Florida). Many relatively safe states (like those in New England) are on par with other rich countries. The Southeast and West are not.
The rise of SUVs and trucks has definitely made American streets more deadly, but that's only part of the story. Car bloat is awful -- I'm not sure anyone has criticized it more than me -- but other factors are clearly at play.
For instance, Americans seem to drive more dangerously than those in other countries. IMO that's less about "national character" and more about a lack of reliable enforcement (i.e., automatic cameras being banned, and reckless driving going unpunished).
The @FT piece critiques this viral NYT story, which argued that automatic transmissions enable Americans to use smartphones while driving, causing more pedestrian deaths. As @jburnmurdoch asks, then why aren't pedestrian deaths surging in Canada, too? nytimes.com/interactive/20…
@FT @jburnmurdoch This is a very strong piece that should be mandatory reading at @NHTSAgov. Unpacking the US road safety crisis is tricky, but absolutely necessary. Journalists like @jburnmurdoch should be commended when they produce thoughtful pieces like this. ft.com/content/9c936d…
@DavidZipper @FT @NHTSAgov Thanks David! You’re extremely kind here, and I really appreciate the time you took to be a key sounding board for me on this one ❤️