As any regular reader will know, I like to point out some of the less talked about ways that we could meet our untimely demise. What is prepping if we aren’t prepared for the more common problems after all? According to a report by Reuters and the National Safety Council, traffic-related deaths in the United States hit 40,000 in 2018, with 4.5 million people injured in car wrecks.
This is a 1 percent decrease from the previous year. But don’t take that as a good thing. Compared to the same reports from 2014, this is a 14 percent increase. Vehicle-related deaths are increasingly common. And according to Nicholas Smith, interim president and CEO of NSC, it needs to stop.
“Forty-thousand deaths is unacceptable. We cannot afford to tread water any more. We know what works, but we need to demonstrate the commitment to implementing the solutions. Roadway deaths are preventable by doubling down on what works, embracing technology advancements and creating a culture of safer driving.”
What does this mean for us?
The problem with car crashes is that we as individuals cannot control how other people on the road will behave. All we can do is obey the rules of the road to the best of our abilities and hope everyone else does the same. Regardless, here are a few tips to keep in mind when dealing with cars.
- Obey Traffic Rules: This sounds simple. But how many times did you turn without using a turn signal, or drive over the speed limit? Know who has right of way and when, brush up on traffic laws, etc, it could save your life. My personal favorite piece of advice is “Green doesn’t mean ‘GO,’ it means ‘go IF it is safe to do so.'”
- Know Safe Pedestrian Practices: Not all traffic deaths are vehicle on vehicle. Sometimes people on foot get hit by vehicles. Fortunately, we’ve written in depth about how to avoid getting hit by a car. You can read about that here.
- Research/Invest in Safety Tech: The automotive industry is making amazing strides in strides in safety technology in vehicles. This includes proximity warnings, automatic braking, and blind spot sensors. It’s impressive but expensive. But what is the price of human life, and all that. Maybe it’s time to trade in that 1990 Camero for a 2018 Tesla.
Stay Safe, preppers. On the road or otherwise.