Gas Price Increases = Less Auto Deaths

Researchers Say A 10 Percent Jump In Fuel Prices Leads To A 2.3 Percent Decline In Car-Related Fatalities

(AP)  Today's high gas prices could reduce auto deaths by nearly a third as driving decreases, with the effect particularly dramatic among price-sensitive teenage drivers, the authors of a new study said.

Professors Michael Morrisey of the University of Alabama-Birmingham and David Grabowski of Harvard Medical School found that for every 10 percent increase in gas prices there was a 2.3 percent decline in auto deaths. For drivers ages 15 to 17, the decline was 6 percent, and for ages 18 to 21, it was 3.2 percent.

The study looked at fatalities from 1985 to 2006, when gas prices reached about $2.50 a gallon. With gas now averaging over $4 a gallon, Morrisey said he expects to see a drop of about 1,000 deaths a month.

With annual auto deaths typically ranging from about 38,000 to 40,000 a year, a drop of 12,000 deaths would cut the total by nearly a third, Morrisey said.

"I think there is some silver lining here in higher gas taxes in that we will see a public health gain," Grabowski said. But he cautioned that their estimate of a decline of 1,000 deaths a month could be offset somewhat by the shift under way to smaller, lighter, more fuel-efficient cars and the increase in motorcycle and scooter driving.

Morrisey said the study also found the "same kind of symmetry" between gas prices and auto deaths when prices go down.

"When that happens we drive more, we drive bigger cars, we drive faster and fatalities are higher," he said.

Morrisey and Grabowski presented their findings to a meeting of the American Society of Health Economists in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., last month. The study was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

[splainin2do]

Great moments in American press history:

July 10, 2008 John McCain announces in Michigan that "Phil Gramm does not speak for me." Phil Gramm appears at the Wall Street Journal in New York to speak on behalf of the John McCain campaign economic plan. Networks cover McCain statement. Networks ignore Gramm appearance. Press, by silence, says it is now OK for Republican candidate to lie.

[newview08]

So what if auto deaths are down? It just a reflection of the fact that people are hurting out there and can''t afford to drive. No matter how many of these senseless "glass is half full" stories get shoved in our faces, it''s still not going to negate the fact that the economy is in really bad shape.

[incog-nito]

This is great news! Using the same logic, if the economy keeps tanking and more people are out of work, think of all the oil we can save from fewer people having to drive to work!

Down is up. Bad is good. This is great or what!

[megamanx1-2009]

bush''s fault

[libsluv2spit]

you mean less suvs with ''no war for oil'' bumper stickers out in the streets??

[spadeisspade]

Gas price increase= bruised ankles and sore arses

[toolmangler-2009]

Those sheer and utter as_ses dare to mock us to our faces. Of course Automobile deaths will decrease as fuel prices rise. If you can''t buy fuel, the vehicle will not run, if it doesn''t run, it cannot wreck. DUH!!!!! When Bushy_baby took office, Gas was 84 cent per gallon. Less than eight years later it is over 4 dollars per gallon, headed for five by the years end.

[wineberry]

Sure the high gas prices are causing people to drive less, but it''s a heck of a way to attain that goal. But don''t the dummies of the oil companies realize that if people drive less that means less people are buying gas, so the oil companies get less. It may get to where people can only afford to go out once or twice a month to get groceries and other necessities. Forget the long scenic drives and long distance vacations.

[barbaram99]

yep. bush is the blame. In 74,our class talked about this issue. Seniors were the only ones that could drive and park in the school parking lot. tool is right. An awful jump. Uncle ans aunt sam is the one using the most gas. The miltary,congress,govt trips...well...the kids are smart today..

[ubikvalis2]

Posted by: Splainin2Do

"Press, by silence, says it is now OK for Republican candidate to lie. "

Politicians are always allowed to lie if they are saying things everyone wants to hear, or if it''s the Bush administration, which is just a crime syndicate run by war criminals.

[rational_1]

"Gas Price Increases = Less Auto Deaths"

FEWER Auto Deaths CBS News, not LESS - are they omitting the teaching of writing skills in journalism school these days?

[barbaram99]

a foot note to the story. Crime is up. They eteal gas from the pumps,framers,businesses.

[idnnsg]

rational_1 asks, "are they omitting the teaching of writing skills in journalism school these days?"

Probably so, but you can''t cite a headline as proof. The headline writers have been trying to squeeze their messages into tiny blurbs for years, so they can use a large typeface for the headline. "less" is one letter shorter than "fewer". To a headline writer, the weak grammer is a small sacrifice to save a letter.

[cartermlc11]

Well isn''t it nice of these professors to sit behind there cushy university desks, on tenure no doubt and not having to worry about driving a bigger vehicle or being able to afford the fuel, and study how many deaths will be avoided because SOME people (translate SOME to mean POOR) can''t afford to drive. It''s a macro point of few if you ask me and they no doubt were wearing blinders when they did the study. The bigger picture is that the roads and travel will be an exclusive privilege of the rich, so the roads will be nice and safe for them out there in their hummers and SUVs. In the meantime, the rest of us will be religated to alternative forms of transportation. They fail to point out that it is the poor and disadvantaged who will be the ones dying in the little tin cans that they have to drive just to be able to afford the gas. See where this is going? Yep, your right, the rich will become richer and the poor poorer because we will be at a disadvantage. I''m telling you the greedy really want to run this world, and they want the rest of us to die sooner so we don''t ruin there little rain forest or pollute their air while we try to survive. Well excuuuusssse me!

[barocalto]

DRILL, DRILL, DRILL....

[aeasus]

DUH!!!!!
Seriously,it took researchers to figuire this out?

[cartermlc11]

That''s right boys and girls. Now be good and go to college then someday you too can have a cushy job where all you have to do is state the obvious to the masses and get paid lots of money. Then you can afford to pay for your gas and drive a safe vehicle.

[marcpcbs]

"Gas Price Increases = Less Auto Deaths"
This is like saying,

"As marijuana fills more schools there are less deaths from students on the way to graduation ceremonies."

The oil sellers and the pot growers will use any convoluted reasoning to keep the profits pouring into their pockets.

[rational_1]

rational_1 asks, "are they omitting the teaching of writing skills in journalism school these days?"

Probably so, but you can''''t cite a headline as proof. The headline writers have been trying to squeeze their messages into tiny blurbs for years, so they can use a large typeface for the headline. "less" is one letter shorter than "fewer". To a headline writer, the weak grammer is a small sacrifice to save a letter.
Posted by IDNNSG at 08:22 PM : Jul 11, 2008

Perhaps so, but that''s even more pathetic than ignorance. In the past some great writers like Hemingway got their starts working for newspapers. If the current crop of newspaper writers are willing to prostitute the language for the cost of a single letter that''s pretty sad. I''m hoping the writer doesn''t know the difference between ''fewer'' and ''less''.

[loneeagle57]

Gas prices increases=fewer auto deaths. No sh** less people on the roads cause we can''t afford it. This isn''t news this is common sense

[marcpcbs]

marcpcbs wrote
The oil sellers and the pot growers will use any convoluted reasoning to keep the profits pouring into their pockets.

Posted by zoe2006 wrote
No. do not put the oil seller (Exxon Mobil) and the pot growers (a multi-assortment of individual, fully diverse), (never) in any sort of collaboration.

marcpcbs wrote
convoluted reasoning is convoluted reasoning.
A pot grower or a oil seller by any other name,

[demwatcher]

So, the Democrat Congress now has a reason to add even more taxes to gasoline.

"We''re doing it to save the children!"

[incog-nito]

In other news, researchers have found that if people die during a famine there will be more food left over for the survivors. They cautioned, however, that more studies are needed. "Please send more research money, lots of it," one researcher added.

[iambaker]

Less, meaning "fewer." Thanks, CBS, for the grammar rehash...

[barbaram99]

the oil will run out..when..I say in 10 to 15 years. May be sooner. I think gas will be 5/6 gollars by summer/fall. The rich don''t care. That war in the middle east is not helpping matters.

[ajaxtheleast]

Gas Price Incresses = Less Car Deaths =
More Husbands Cant Afford To Drive To
Work = More Husbands Staying Home With
Wives = More Familiarty Breeds Contemtp =
More Intra-Family Deaths.

[slim1h2o]

Next year, they will have another study.

When more people are poor, or poorer, and unable to afford Health Care, a study will conclude that medical mistakes are on the decline. Of course they will fail to mention that other causes of death are on the up-swing, due to unaffordable Health Care.

Be ready for it people. You heard it here 1st.

[barkerc123c]

BUT the number of deaths related to driving motorcycles must be increasing....

[ubrew12]

Tomorrows headline: "Horse and buggy deaths on the increase"

[aeasus]

BUT the number of deaths related to driving motorcycles must be increasing....

Posted by barkerc123c at 10:32 AM : Jul 12, 2008
----------------------------------------

Humm,I wonder if any researchers are working on that?

[xlib]

To the dem congress, DRILL, DRILL, DRILL, DRILL, DRILL!

[barbaram99]

The car replaced the horse. Why. well they were dirty and so the car was cleaner. The horse man/woman had to clean up after his/her horse. The car was better.
Now the car is dirty and the horse dirtier. what next for clean getting around. If there is such a thing.

[downtowner97]

Note to the author: Since there''s no such thing as a part death, the title should say "Fewer Auto Deaths".

[petro49l]

I would rather have cheap fuel, highway driving, and the risk of death. The Saudis are not our patrons. They simply want American money. George W. Bush is their well-paid lackey.

[deacon20081]

I am seeing more people driving what I call "death Traps". Little cars with almost no steel means more deaths from even the slowest moving accidents.
Great Gas mileage !! And a Bonus they fit right between the wheels of 18 wheeler Rigs. They are also hard to see when changing lanes on a busy highway.
Give me a vehicle with some weight, I would rather be screwed at the pump than extricated from a mass of tin by the Fire Dept.

[deacon20081]

Since Dubya seems so adept at causing so much killing....he should tell the Saudis." There is a nuke planted in your desert kingdom...." Where? We forget. Is it armed ....I don''t remember. Kinda like my Cocaine days...don''t remember if I did Coke or not.

[barbaram99]

I say THERE be more deaths as they will fight over a tank of gas like children only far worse. Fewer deaths..nope it be nastier.

[rhs648]

I would rather have cheap fuel, highway driving, and the risk of death. The Saudis are not our patrons. They simply want American money. George W. Bush is their well-paid lackey.

Posted by Petro49L

What does this say about our presidents over the last 40 years? None of them made us energy efficient. President Bush pushed for oil drilling in Alaska and in the Gulf. Congress failed to give an inch. It doesn''t matter that modern methods can protect the environment. The anser is still no. Most Americans prefer lower prices at the pump. Does this matter to Congress? Don''t bet on it.

[rhs648]

The car replaced the horse. Why. well they were dirty and so the car was cleaner. The horse man/woman had to clean up after his/her horse. The car was better.
Now the car is dirty and the horse dirtier. what next for clean getting around. If there is such a thing.

Posted by BarbaraM99

What about walking, bicycles, and living near where we work. Fewer trips to the store and fewer vacations would help, too. The world has changed and we need to adjust.

[barbaram99]

I adjusted long before this became an issue. I do walk to the store. I do walk places and have for years. I am legally blind from birth. I do use mass transit. I have seen others bike that can ride them. I knew this day was coming. Vince he walks and uses the bus. Holidays..It is right here at home.
Years ago my sister got in the family car and drove to the next home when she could have walked over faster. Mum told her so. I use a white cane. Ssw a programme about oil on the sci ch and it touch on when oil guns out. It will and when I don''t know. In Seattle the cars are thick on the roads. I meant a man that said *I got to have my car. I can''t be with out my car.* Well his car died.

[observer2020]

Actually, we will see the motorcycle deaths climb rapidly as people use motorcycles instead of cars. I thought about buying one for my 84-mile everyday commute, but after personally knowing 5 people over the last 3 weeks get killed on motorcycles...I''m having second thoughts. 4 of the 5 were not the fault of the motorcycle rider...people in cars/truck/SUVs (So Useless Vehicles) were not paying attention. All these people that just HAD to buy a 4-wheel drive vehicle (SUV)...my 2-wheel drive car has seen more off road than their So Useless Vehicle will ever see.