Traffic Injuries 3 Times As Likely In Car Than Bus
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Communities that use mass transit enjoy less tragedy.
The Transportation Research Board shares a new journal article: “Traveling by Bus Instead of Car on Urban Major Roads: Safety Benefits for Vehicle Occupants, Pedestrians and Cyclists” (full PDF here). It records the conclusions of researchers who studied traffic injuries along major corridors and found motorists on these routes had more than three times the injury rate of bus passengers. It was clear that buses were also safer for people sharing the road on foot or bike in Montreal. The research used police reports from 2001 to 2010 and found: Cars were responsible for 95% of pedestrian and 96% of cyclist injuries on these arteries.
CityLab explains that the report validates one of the best ways to avoid transportation injuries is to take a bus, not drive. “During the same time period in Montreal, nobody was killed while riding the bus, though 668 people were injured. Meanwhile, auto occupants suffered 19 deaths and 10,892 injuries. Cars were linked to 42 pedestrian and three cyclist deaths, while buses were linked to four and zero, respectively.”
This study’s conclusion: “This study suggests that there is great potential for road safety improvement if there is a 22 modal shift from car to bus, since bus is the safer mode not only for vehicle occupants but also for 23 pedestrians and cyclists.”
Yes, public transit saves lives … a lot of lives.
A previous CleanTechnica article adds that, if buses fully transition to electricity for the purpose of saving lives, the numbers will be exponentially increased. A recent report published by the American Lung Association examines the true costs of gasoline vehicle pollution. The general finding: gasoline vehicle pollution damages and destroys human life much more than most of us want to realize. See: “$37 Billion = Health & Climate Costs From Gas Cars In 10 States Every Year.”
“I see the toll traffic pollution takes every day in my practice,” said Dr. Afif El-Hasan, a pediatrician serving Southern California, who also serves on the California Lung Association’s Governing Board. “When we talk about zero-emission vehicle policies, we must not forget that air pollution makes people sick.”
Related Stories:
King County Metro To Buy 120 All-Electric Buses By 2020 (73 Coming From Proterra
St. Petersburg (Florida) Gets Two Electric Buses
Public Transit Saves Lives … A Lot Of Lives.
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