One of The Economist’s data journalists dug into data from 7.5 million collisions in 14 states in the US. He found that, for every life that the heaviest 1% of SUVs and trucks save in a crash, more than a dozen are lost in smaller vehicles. As a result, roads in the US are 2 times more deadly that roads in other countries.
It is a powerful illustration of the idea of “negative externalities” – when an action results in negative impact whose cost is not borne by the person taking the action.
The challenge with wide-ranging externalities like these is that there often aren’t solutions within our control.
So, awareness is the best first step.
Choices come next – choose smaller cars where possible.
And, perhaps most importantly, stay safe out there.
