Will Lower Gas Prices Mean More Traffic Fatalities?
Most people rejoice when they see gas prices as low as they have been lately, but that may be because they do not realize that there is actually a significant down side to lower gas prices. According to a sociologist at South Dakota University, Guangqing Chi, the downside of lower gas prices is an increase in traffic crashes and traffic fatalities. In an interview on NPR, host David Greene spoke to reporter Shankar Vedantem about the potential problems that can come when gas prices take a tumble.
Chi has been researching the relationship between gas price and road fatalities in the United States. In one study, he found that a 20-cent decline in gas prices in Minnesota was linked to an additional 15 deaths per year. When David Greene asked Chi what effect a $2 per gallon drop is gas prices might look like, Chi’s response was that it could potentially translate to about 9,000 road fatalities in the United States. This seems to be quite a drastic number, so Guangqing Chi attempted to explain why this happens.
The most significant factor is that people drive a lot less when gas prices are high. People also tend to drive differently when gas is more expensive. They may tend to accelerate slowly and maintain a steady speed because those kinds of behavior conserve gas, but they also make you a safer driver. In an article in Fortune magazine, in an article, How Cheap Gas Can Be Deadly, author Brad Tuttle suggests that when gas prices are high we drive like our grandmas. Whereas when gas prices are cheaper as they are now, people may tend to drive more like jerks–driving at higher speeds, stomping hard on the gas and brakes and making more trips is less safe driving behavior and burns more gas.
What it comes down to is the fact that lower gas prices usually means that there will be more drivers on the road, which raises the likelihood of more cashes. Armed with this information, as you hit the road you can be more mindful about how you are driving. You can choose to drive more like grandma and less like a jerk in order to save money at the gas pump and save lives on the road.
As always, a well-rested driver who has put their cell phone away, keeps their vehicle maintained and does not drink alcohol before getting behind the wheel is a safe driver.
Despite the best plans and intentions, car crashes happen. If you should become injured in a car crash, an experienced South Carolina car accident attorney from McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips LLC, is ready to protect your right to fair compensation for your losses. Please contact us or call 888.302. 7546 to schedule a free consultation at one of our offices throughout the state.
Randy is the former President of the South Carolina Association for Justice. He has been certified by the American Board of Professional Liability as a specialist in Medical Malpractice Law which is recognized by the South Carolina Bar. Randy has also been awarded the distinction of being a “Super Lawyer” 10 times in the last decade. He has over 25 years of experience helping injured people fight back against corporations, hospitals and wrong-doers.
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