A recent article began:
“The Trump administration says people would drive more and be exposed to increased risk if their cars get better gas mileage.”
Wait – what? I don’t get it. Let’s read that again:
“The Trump administration says people would drive more and be exposed to increased risk if their cars get better gas mileage.”
So the Trump administration – specifically the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) – is rooting for worse gas mileage?
Well, yeah.
It turns out that the Trump administration – by way of the EPA and DOT– wants to roll back tough mileage requirements put into place in the latter days of the Obama administration. Their goal is to freeze the requirements at the year 2020 level rather than allowing the requirements to get tougher, and mileage to get better.
The administration’s proposal goes on to say, “People will drive less if their vehicles get fewer miles per gallon, lowering the risk of crashes.”
And if people drive less, says the proposal, it would “save up to 1,000 lives per year.”
Of course saving lives is of utmost importance.
But instead of lowering our gas mileage standards, here are better ways to save 1,000 lives per year:
|
How and Why |
Lives Saved |
| Focus more resources on domestic violence.
According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), three women in this country die every day because of domestic violence. |
Save three women X 365 days = 1,095 saved in one year. |
| Focus more resources on healthcare-associated infections (HAI).
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 99,000 people die each year from HAIs, or 271 people every day. |
Save 271 people X four days = 1,084 lives saved. |
| Focus more resources on how people drive instead of what they drive.
The National Safety Council estimated automotive fatalities topped 40,000 in 2017, or 110 people every day. |
Save 110 people X 10 days = 1,100 lives saved. |
Do this and we’ll all breathe better – and live longer.
I Hate Houseguests 