Why are so many people dying on America’s roads?

The Inquiry

BBC

News Commentary, News

4.6 • 1.7K Ratings

🗓️ 16 March 2023

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Deaths on American roads are at a 20 year high. More than 46,000 people lost their lives in vehicle collisions last year alone. That’s up a tenth on the year before and the numbers are on a par with those killed by gun violence. Or, the equivalent of a plane crash every day.

It’s a tragedy for everyone involved and there’s an untold cost for families, but there’s also a financial cost. It’s estimated that the cost to the economy runs into billions of dollars.

Why are America’s roads so dangerous?

This episode was presented by Tanya Becket, produced by Louise Clarke-Rowbotham, researched by John Cossee and mixed by Kelly Young. The production co-ordinator is Brenda Brown and the editor is Tara McDermott.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi Namulanta combo here and I'm excited to tell you that my award-winning
0:05.4	podcast Dear Dota is back for his second season and it's available now. Find out
0:11.6	more at the end of this podcast. Welcome to the inquiry on the BBC World
0:18.3	Service with me, Tonya Beckett. One question, four expert witnesses and an answer.
0:28.9	Deaths on American roads are at a 20-year high. More than 46,000 people lost
0:36.4	their lives in car crashes in the United States last year. That's a tenth up on
0:42.2	the year before and almost the same number of deaths caused by firearms. Nearly one
0:48.4	in ten weren't actually in a car. They were walking. In fact, one pedestrian dies
0:55.0	every 75 minutes in a collision involving a vehicle. Added to the human cost of
1:01.9	accidents on America's roads, the US Department of Transportation estimates
1:06.9	that the annual cost to the US economy runs into the hundreds of billions. This
1:14.4	week on the inquiry we're asking why are so many people dying on America's
1:20.6	roads? Part one, collision course. We lose a hundred loved ones, family members,
1:33.6	colleagues, every single day in the US on our roadways. That's like having a
1:38.2	regional jet carrying a hundred people crash, killing everyone on board every
1:42.9	day. And for some reason, we don't see the severity of the issue of our roadway
1:48.4	violence, our roadway risks in the same kind of way we would as if an airplane
1:52.9	crashed every day. Lorraine Martin is the president and CEO of the National
1:57.8	Safety Council, a non-profit organization campaigning to eliminate deaths
2:03.0	caused by accidents. And in particular, those that happen on America's roads
2:08.2	which statistic show became rapidly more dangerous after the onset of COVID-19.
2:15.3	Compared to pre-pandemic levels, deaths, you know, people who actually
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