US vs UK Road Deaths
Discussion
Now this is not a dig at Americans, I work with a lot of them and some are tolerable, only joking, have some good friends over there.
Anyway, I just saw a quote that over 30,000 people died on the roads in the US in 2014 and I did a double take, 30,000 when we are "only" killing less than 2000, 15 times more deaths on the roads in the US versus the UK, ok, they have a bigger population I thought, yep, about five times bigger, so why are they three times more likely to get killed on the roads ?
It doesn't add up ? they are level pegging with Bangladesh in terms of deaths per 100,000 population.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_...
Another interesting statistic is that in the "Central African Republic", according to the above they have 13472 deaths per 100,000 vehicles, so in a year a given car has a greater than 13 percent chance of being involved in a fatality, just wow, they must actively try to kill themselves during every journey.
Anyway, I just saw a quote that over 30,000 people died on the roads in the US in 2014 and I did a double take, 30,000 when we are "only" killing less than 2000, 15 times more deaths on the roads in the US versus the UK, ok, they have a bigger population I thought, yep, about five times bigger, so why are they three times more likely to get killed on the roads ?
It doesn't add up ? they are level pegging with Bangladesh in terms of deaths per 100,000 population.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_...
Another interesting statistic is that in the "Central African Republic", according to the above they have 13472 deaths per 100,000 vehicles, so in a year a given car has a greater than 13 percent chance of being involved in a fatality, just wow, they must actively try to kill themselves during every journey.
I also work with a lot of Americans and have done for 20+ years.
My experience is that drink driving is still entirely socially acceptable there. There also seems to be an odd strand of resistance to wearing seat belts amongst some there and a tendency to drive SUVs and Trucks which counter-intuitively given their mass, often have poor occupant safety.
Some States' driving tests are laughably simple, too, even now.
My experience is that drink driving is still entirely socially acceptable there. There also seems to be an odd strand of resistance to wearing seat belts amongst some there and a tendency to drive SUVs and Trucks which counter-intuitively given their mass, often have poor occupant safety.
Some States' driving tests are laughably simple, too, even now.
Road design plays a big part in the US as many of the road markings are neigh on invisible at night especially in Michigan. Many's the time I had no idea which lane I was in. Also the freeways often have no central barrier, just a wide ditch leading to a lot of roll overs and accidents crossing over to the opposite carriageway.
Then there's wildlife. One year I was there they reported something like 40,000 accidents involving deer in Michigan alone. There's also very little public transport or taxis so people routinely get tanked up and drive home.
Then there's wildlife. One year I was there they reported something like 40,000 accidents involving deer in Michigan alone. There's also very little public transport or taxis so people routinely get tanked up and drive home.
From having spent most of my childhood living there, before returning home at 16 having passed my five minute driving test, here are my thoughts:
Driving tests are incredibly easy in most states.
Greater percentage of young people driving.
Much more extreme weather conditions.
Poor road quality, including signs.
The drink driving point might be accurate, I certainly know a few who have done it.
They drive far more, fuel makes up a much higher percentage of an American's living costs than it does ours, despite how relatively cheap it is over there.
I think the main factor is the level of driving standards.
Driving tests are incredibly easy in most states.
Greater percentage of young people driving.
Much more extreme weather conditions.
Poor road quality, including signs.
The drink driving point might be accurate, I certainly know a few who have done it.
They drive far more, fuel makes up a much higher percentage of an American's living costs than it does ours, despite how relatively cheap it is over there.
I think the main factor is the level of driving standards.
America has a much larger population than the UK. You'd be better off finding figures in say a percentage of per 100,000 people.
Either that or finding the population of America and then multiplying our population until you get close to the American one, and then multiplying the UK road deaths figure by the same number.
Not very accurate I know, but would give you a more realistic figure.
Oh wait, you've already thought of that.
I know a few Americans, and they all have a much more relaxed view of driving. Being on the phone, eating, texting, using the laptop, etc is all very acceptable to them when they drive.
I suppose when you have hundreds and hundreds and even thousands of miles of straight roads, you're going to think a lot less can go wrong.
Either that or finding the population of America and then multiplying our population until you get close to the American one, and then multiplying the UK road deaths figure by the same number.
Not very accurate I know, but would give you a more realistic figure.
Oh wait, you've already thought of that.
I know a few Americans, and they all have a much more relaxed view of driving. Being on the phone, eating, texting, using the laptop, etc is all very acceptable to them when they drive.
I suppose when you have hundreds and hundreds and even thousands of miles of straight roads, you're going to think a lot less can go wrong.
Edited by The Turbonator on Friday 6th February 13:07
J4CKO said:
Now this is not a dig at Americans, I work with a lot of them and some are tolerable, only joking, have some good friends over there.
Anyway, I just saw a quote that over 30,000 people died on the roads in the US in 2014 and I did a double take, 30,000 when we are "only" killing less than 2000, 15 times more deaths on the roads in the US versus the UK, ok, they have a bigger population I thought, yep, about five times bigger, so why are they three times more likely to get killed on the roads ?
Half of those are drive-by shootings.Anyway, I just saw a quote that over 30,000 people died on the roads in the US in 2014 and I did a double take, 30,000 when we are "only" killing less than 2000, 15 times more deaths on the roads in the US versus the UK, ok, they have a bigger population I thought, yep, about five times bigger, so why are they three times more likely to get killed on the roads ?
V8forweekends said:
I also work with a lot of Americans and have done for 20+ years.
My experience is that drink driving is still entirely socially acceptable there. There also seems to be an odd strand of resistance to wearing seat belts amongst some there and a tendency to drive SUVs and Trucks which counter-intuitively given their mass, often have poor occupant safety.
Some States' driving tests are laughably simple, too, even now.
Yes, despite the veneer of "Zero tolerance" I have seen more drink driving in a few weeks there than in a lifetime here, I saw one guy who couldn't stand, helped out of a bar in a suburb of Atlanta and helped into his van, the guy couldn't walk but drove off anyway.My experience is that drink driving is still entirely socially acceptable there. There also seems to be an odd strand of resistance to wearing seat belts amongst some there and a tendency to drive SUVs and Trucks which counter-intuitively given their mass, often have poor occupant safety.
Some States' driving tests are laughably simple, too, even now.
And agree the terrain is a lot more "rugged", and a lot of it, drove through Yosemite and there were many opportunities to drop several hundred feet if you lost concentration.
The road infrastructure isnt as good, I suppose due to the distances involved, they lay the road and then little else, rarely barriers on a lot of it.
The Turbonator said:
America has a much larger population than the UK. You'd be better off finding figures in say a percentage of per 100,000 people.
Either that or finding the population of America and then multiplying our population until you get close to the American one, and then multiplying the UK road deaths figure by the same number.
Not very accurate I know, but would give you a more realistic figure.
That is what I did, and check the link to the Wikipedia article, it is similar, 11.6 deaths per 100,000 in the US and 3.5 for the UK, so, again, 3 to 1.Either that or finding the population of America and then multiplying our population until you get close to the American one, and then multiplying the UK road deaths figure by the same number.
Not very accurate I know, but would give you a more realistic figure.
The Turbonator said:
America has a much larger population than the UK. You'd be better off finding figures in say a percentage of per 100,000 people.
Either that or finding the population of America and then multiplying our population until you get close to the American one, and then multiplying the UK road deaths figure by the same number.
Not very accurate I know, but would give you a more realistic figure.
He did that... 15 times the deaths, five times the population.Either that or finding the population of America and then multiplying our population until you get close to the American one, and then multiplying the UK road deaths figure by the same number.
Not very accurate I know, but would give you a more realistic figure.
A big part of it seems to be the poor driving test level, drink driving and the fact that driving is seen as a right much more than it is in the UK.
As for the level being equal to Bangladesh, I wonder if that is down to Bangladesh having a relatively small number of car owners compared to the population, and a high number of those being in Dakah, where the average speed is rather low. I think the roads outside Dakah are lethal, for the relatively small % of the population that use them.
When i drove in California the other month i revelled in their ability to undertake in busy traffic, people over there seemed more on the ball than the people on our roads . It just flowed so well as the stats say a different thing.
Drink driving seems to be a major factor for these stats though..
Drink driving seems to be a major factor for these stats though..
hotchy said:
Is it not in america there is no "mot"as such? Imagine that here... the amount of people who dont do anything to their car until it fails the mot. Must cause some accidents.
Love it when someone puts up an answer to a thread and have no idea WTF they are writing about. Google it numpty. Cars & bikes built b4 1960 are exempt here.
Some states do, some dont have an annual test, and its a DOT test.
Back to the tread....After driving in every state bar 5 and living inthe US for 14 yrs. Its just s
t driving standards. Nothing more, nothing less. Several hundred are killed on railroad crosssings FFS by trains!It's not just that the US has a particularly high rate of deaths, but the UK has a particularly low one.
Wikipeadia has some stats - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_... - which I suspect you have to take with a bit of a pinch of salt as different countries are likely to record the stats differently but it gives us something to work with.
If you sort by Road fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km you'll see the US about mid-table compared to other countries that record such stats (which seems to be mainly western countries). But still doing better then Japan, New Zealand and Belgium.
Interesting reasoning put forward on this thread which back up my experiences in the US too.
Wikipeadia has some stats - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_... - which I suspect you have to take with a bit of a pinch of salt as different countries are likely to record the stats differently but it gives us something to work with.
If you sort by Road fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km you'll see the US about mid-table compared to other countries that record such stats (which seems to be mainly western countries). But still doing better then Japan, New Zealand and Belgium.
Interesting reasoning put forward on this thread which back up my experiences in the US too.
rpguk said:
It's not just that the US has a particularly high rate of deaths, but the UK has a particularly low one.
Wikipeadia has some stats - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_... - which I suspect you have to take with a bit of a pinch of salt as different countries are likely to record the stats differently but it gives us something to work with.
K
If you sort by Road fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km you'll see the US about mid-table compared to other countries that record such stats (which seems to be mainly western countries). But still doing better then Japan, New Zealand and Belgium.
Interesting reasoning put forward on this thread which back up my experiences in the US too.
I'm proud how relatively safe our roads are!Wikipeadia has some stats - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_... - which I suspect you have to take with a bit of a pinch of salt as different countries are likely to record the stats differently but it gives us something to work with.
K
If you sort by Road fatalities per 1 billion vehicle-km you'll see the US about mid-table compared to other countries that record such stats (which seems to be mainly western countries). But still doing better then Japan, New Zealand and Belgium.
Interesting reasoning put forward on this thread which back up my experiences in the US too.
Interesting to see Chile beats us per 100,000 vehicles though. Has anyone been there/driven there to give us a reason why maybe?
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