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Traffic Deaths Spiked This Year; Some Say Self-Driving Cars can Bring them Back Down

posted by martyb on Wednesday October 12 2016, @03:18PM   Printer-friendly
from the pay-attention-to-the-road dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

Fatal crashes in the first half of 2016 jumped by more than 1,500 when compared to last year, marking the largest spike in 50 years. 

From January to June, 17,775 people died in traffic-related incidents, increasing by 10.4 percent from the same period in 2015, a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found. While traffic deaths remain significantly lower than pre-2006 numbers, many aren't satisfied and say there's more to be done to ensure safety on the nation's streets. As the United States continues to lag behind other industrialized nations in traffic safety numbers, some are looking to autonomous, or self-driving, vehicles as an answer to accidental fatalities caused by human error in motor vehicle crashes.

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  • (Score: 1) by justinb_76 on Wednesday October 12 2016, @05:15PM

    by justinb_76 (4362) on Wednesday October 12 2016, @05:15PM (#413542)

    I blame Pokemon Go

    personal rant: as a motorcycle rider, what bugs me the most about other drivers isn't when they're texting or messing around on their phone - it's when they're driving with freakin' earbuds in. seriously, all cars now have awesome stereos in them compared to back in the day - I just don't understand it...

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Taibhsear on Wednesday October 12 2016, @06:11PM

    by Taibhsear (1464) on Wednesday October 12 2016, @06:11PM (#413570)

    when they're driving with freakin' earbuds in. seriously, all cars now have awesome stereos in them compared to back in the day - I just don't understand it...

    They're talking on their phone, "hands free" and don't have a bluetooth headset.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 12 2016, @09:20PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 12 2016, @09:20PM (#413650)

    Your priorities are way out of line... Most drivers won't hear you in time to do much of anything so earbuds are not that dangerous. Not seeing the road or being able to drive a straight line is incredibly dangerous for a motorcycle, a slight rear end tap can really injure you, and if you split lanes then a slight bit of drifting can kill you!