Report finds MA Roadways Dangerous (Burlington, Bedford: construction, trailer, car)

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

That’s not the way to learn those things, though. Crash reports will be biased by traffic density and automobile popularity. Doling them out a few links at a time will lead to small sample bias and information fatigue.

And, for the specific point being argued in this thread, you would need to post all the crashes across the US to make a reasonable counterclaim. No one said there was NO risk of fatality on the road, only that it’s lower in MA than elsewhere.

I looked up all the fatal MA crashes in the news this week where the make, model and year of the vehicle was revealed and not one of them was a top safety or top safety + rated vehicle by IIHS. What I was trying to get at is that while it su*ks to have to pay ~$60k+ for a top safety + rated vehicle, in these types of crashes you'd probably still be alive. Hence why I will only drive certain model /vehicles that have this designation. It's like an extra expensive insurance if you will, no one knows when and if they will be involved in one of these crazy crashes that seem to be happening much more frequently these days.

[newenglandgal123]

Now we have folks crashing into Christmas trees in Milton! The lights were too distracting I guess?! WTF
https://www.wcvb.com/article/car-cra...quare/42196823

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

Now we have folks crashing into Christmas trees in Milton! The lights were too distracting I guess?! WTF
https://www.wcvb.com/article/car-cra...quare/42196823

OMG. See I actually find these articles interesting. Being a native from Milton this one really hits home (no pun intended) for me. Thank you!

What is wrong with people?

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

Fine. I posted it to stimulate discussion not to make a singular argument.

The article you posted was making that statement. It was not my intention to assign the statement to you.

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

I haven't seen any reasonably critically thinking posters here outright dismiss that fatality rates shouldn't come into play when determining danger but that they aren't the only factor, and that the fatality rates may be largely influenced by factors less related to individual driving and road conditions and more related to constants having little to do with roadway culture. Yes that's one sentence.

It's fine to separate out the reasons for why somewhere may be safer than somewhere else, but it's important to remember that when comparing different places the what is more important. Everything has some reason.

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

Of course minimizing death is preferable. Question is to what do we credit that lower fatality rate? Is it something we're actually doing, or factors more happenstance?

That's a good question. People seem convinced that it's the congestion (and I'm sure that's a factor), but I can't find any hard evidence supporting (or refuting) that statement. The vehicle mix probably helps, too. I noticed a lot more big vehicles in Tennessee which may be helpful for the drivers of those vehicles, but is also a hazard for those who drive smaller vehicles. Maybe there are other reasons.

My other question would be "is there anything we can do that will further reduce our (already low) fatality rate?"

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

The article you posted was making that statement. It was not my intention to assign the statement to you.



It's fine to separate out the reasons for why somewhere may be safer than somewhere else, but it's important to remember that when comparing different places the what is more important. Everything has some reason.





That's a good question. People seem convinced that it's the congestion (and I'm sure that's a factor), but I can't find any hard evidence supporting (or refuting) that statement. The vehicle mix probably helps, too. I noticed a lot more big vehicles in Tennessee which may be helpful for the drivers of those vehicles, but is also a hazard for those who drive smaller vehicles. Maybe there are other reasons.

My other question would be "is there anything we can do that will further reduce our (already low) fatality rate?"

Those things will probably fall into the same category as things we could do to prevent many other types of human failings. If you talk to any crash investigator they will tell you that there is no such thing as an accident, there are crashes. And all crashes are preventable. They usually happen due to operator negligence or error. Less often, they happen as the result of faulty equipment. Some people die because they were speeding, not paying attention, not wearing a seatbelt, driving while intoxicated, whatever. Some do all those things and don't die. Some die because they couldn't get emergency medical in time. Society can't collectively control all these factors. People will always be people. Certain targeted campaigns have shown some promise. I'm of the opinion that strict enforcement of traffic behavior may be most beneficial.

These are supposedly the states with the lowest auto crash deaths:

Massachusetts, Rhode Island, D.C., Minnesota, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, *Illinois, Washington, and Virginia.

Other than similar congestion in MA, DC, parts of CT, NY/NJ, (VA has congestion in the Northern region) I'm not seeing particular patterns that immediately jump out at me:


*Yet another source I looked at shows Illinois in the top 10 highest states.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

I looked up all the fatal MA crashes in the news this week where the make, model and year of the vehicle was revealed and not one of them was a top safety or top safety + rated vehicle by IIHS. What I was trying to get at is that while it su*ks to have to pay ~$60k+ for a top safety + rated vehicle, in these types of crashes you'd probably still be alive. Hence why I will only drive certain model /vehicles that have this designation. It's like an extra expensive insurance if you will, no one knows when and if they will be involved in one of these crazy crashes that seem to be happening much more frequently these days.

That seems like a lot of work for what are still really small numbers. This seems like a better source for (likely very similar) list:

https://www.gearpatrol.com/cars/a732...s-on-the-road/

The Volkswagen Golf retails for about $24k and certain configurations do get the top safety + designation from the IIHS for certain configurations.

You've mentioned in the past some extra special safety + designation exclusive to enormous, other-people-killing luxury SUVs, but I can't seem to find it on the IIHS website.

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

That seems like a lot of work for what are still really small numbers. This seems like a better source for (likely very similar) list:

https://www.gearpatrol.com/cars/a732...s-on-the-road/

The Volkswagen Golf retails for about $24k and certain configurations do get the top safety + designation from the IIHS for certain configurations.

You've mentioned in the past some extra special safety + designation exclusive to enormous, other-people-killing luxury SUVs, but I can't seem to find it on the IIHS website.

Yes, this Swedish tank.

https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle...-door-suv/2022

https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2022/V...520AWD/SUV/AWD


and this German one...https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle...-door-suv/2022

[newenglandgal123]

https://www.wcvb.com/article/deadly-...setts/42208766
https://www.wcvb.com/article/woman-k...setts/42208716

Another two incidents from this weekend that supports the need for annual driver competency exams and not just for the elderly either, although many of these crashes seem to be caused by them lately.

[newenglandgal123]

Invincible drivers, bald tires and snow....'tis the season!
https://www.wcvb.com/article/light-s...towns/42199064

[yesmaybe]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

Invincible drivers, bald tires and snow....'tis the season!
https://www.wcvb.com/article/light-s...towns/42199064

This always happens the first time it snows.