Study Shows The Less Educated You Are, The More Likely You Are To Die In A Car Crash

Traffic fatalities in the United States have been plummeting for years, a major victory for regulation (strict drunken driving laws have helped) and auto innovation (we have safer cars). But that progress obscures a surprising type of inequality: The most disadvantaged are more likely — and have grown even more likely over time — to die in car crashes than people who are well-off.

New research by Sam Harper, Thomas J. Charters and Erin C. Strumpf, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, finds that improvements in road safety since the 1990s haven't been evenly shared. The biggest declines in fatalities have occurred among the most educated. As for people 25 and older with less than a high school diploma, fatality rates have actually increased over time, bucking the national trend:

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TheSteve - 10/2/2015 5:10:19 PM

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Does that mean if we ensure that everyone gets a University degree, then we'll eliminate automobile deaths? No? Hmmmm, now you're beginning to understand the difference between correlation and causality.

MDarringer - 10/2/2015 7:39:50 PM

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Nicely done...

skytop - 10/3/2015 8:02:39 AM

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Must be true since I overheard a driver emerging out of his wrecked car screaming at the car that hit him, "you stupid bastard!"

jameswisrik - 10/3/2015 10:15:10 AM

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GM pos owners..... YOU GUYS ARE IN TROUBLE NOW! Most GM drivers are lucky to have a 6th grade education. If they graduated from middle school, they would know better - buy a Toyota, Ford, Honda, Benz, Lexus..even a Yugo.

The study also states they work and shop at Walmart. If their not employed by Walmart, their on food stamps, Sect 8 housing, barely speak or write in English, and commit crimes. But they do have a shinny Silverado/Astro/Aztec/Cruz/Malibu w/ 32" chrome wheels parked on their weed infested lawn! With 4 wives and 35 kids.

And of course have a portrait of Barrack Mohammed Huessian Mostaf Obama in every room of their rental.

Car4life1 - 10/5/2015 12:19:55 AM

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Oh come on I'm sure Honey Boo Boo and her family isn't that bad, next to Obama's portrait they probably have George C Average Crook Bush their too!

Holydude - 10/7/2015 4:58:01 PM

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@TheSteve I don't think the article ever claimed causality (or that education is the only factor), they merely reported a correlation.

drpesq - 10/16/2015 4:39:57 PM

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Less education implies lower income. Lower income usually equates to a crapy car (sorry). Non car people can say all they want about cars being a means to get from A to B, but there is a universe of difference between a modern luxury car with sport suspension, massive brakes, the latest electronics and driver aids and the latest summer tires, vs. an ultra high mileage, partially rusted american pickup from the late 80s with pep boys hockey puck tires on it and rear drum brakes with no ABS. Chicken salad vs. chicken s*it. I've been fortunate enough to be in a position to buy a few really nice cars over the years and they have saved my bacon on more than one occasion. Of course there is no substitute for attentive driving.
DRP