It goes without saying that we are enjoying the recent drop in gas prices, but there are those in the world who think that cheap gasoline is, without question, the worst idea ever. And one of those people is Guangqing Chi, a sociology professor at South Dakota State University. According to Chi, in an interview with NPR, the drop in gasoline prices could, in a worst-case scenario, increase the amount of traffic deaths by 9,000 individuals. This goes against the concept of eradicating traffic deaths, because 9,000 annual fatalities would represent a 27.5% jump over 2013’s figures (the most recent year available). The figures stem not only from vehicle miles driven, but from previous research that he and colleagues had performed involving fatalities and the price of gasoline in Minnesota and Mississippi. According to the report, rural areas and teenage drivers would become more at-risk, while drivers between the ages of 25-34 would have almost no impact “because they are committed to job responsibilities and family needs.” What?!
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has noted a correlation between economic booms and recessions, but as IIHS spokesman Russ Rader informed Autoblog, it isn’t the be-all metric and that many other factors would have to be in place to see such a pronounced spike in roadway fatalities. Over the last several years, the rate has continually fallen and the overall number of fatalities has been under 40,000 since 2007. But to take two states out of fifty and call it a reasonable test is really undercutting Chi’s report. In fact, with the exception of the ability of a teenager to currently afford more fuel and thereby putting a well known high-risk driver on the road more, the remainder of the report seems to be a cry of “the sky is falling”. When even the IIHS is playing down the report, it’s time to take it with a grain of salt. Wear your seat belts, keep your car in good mechanical condition and drive safely, and you will reduce your chances of an accident as much as you possibly can.
(Courtesy: Autoblog)
heres an observation….I’ve worked in the university sector since 1992 – do you know what you need to be to be a professor ? Phd? nope. Masters? nope. A professor is simply the head of a department or school normally, at least in the universities I’ve worked at. I’ve known `professors’ with little or no qualifications – I suspect the `professor’ in this story may be one of these…promoted to a position where he can do less damage than he would teaching or researching. His sample size is laughable, his conclusions are stupid. Just because you are associated with a university is no guarantee of intelligence or logic.
I hope you’re saying that a person will all kinds of letters after their name is automatically smarter in real life scenarios. This guy had a microphone shoved in front of him and he’s basking in his 15 minutes of glory.
That should say ”I hope you’re NOT saying” Sorry about that.
don’t know how you came to that conclusion…I said a professor doesn’t necessarily have any qualifications. Full stop. I didn’t say anything about anybody being any smarter, I said quite the opposite….
Classic liberal logic. I’ve read countless articles from the left about how terrible low gas prices are. “It will take funding away from green research”….”It will hurt those poor people in the middle east”…and now “it will result in more traffic deaths”? Yeah, it probably will. Just like $50/gallon would almost completely eliminate traffic deaths altogether. Doesn’t make it a good idea. It’s scary that the colleges and public schools are overrun with liberal “educators” nowadays. Spewing their rhetoric and nonsense and indoctrinating our children while we aren’t there to monitor them. It’s a real problem, folks. These kids are at their most vulnerable stages in life, and there are people taking advantage of that. And it’s not the old-school teachers…it’s the “new class” of teachers. I have a BS in business. I went to college. Biggest waste of money ever. Professors and teachers, while maybe somewhat book smart, or smart in their particular field, are some of the all-around dumbest people I know. The old saying goes “Those who can’t DO, teach.”
I agree with you 100% Jeff.
What these idiot liberal coneheads don’t realize is that low ENERGY prices (not just gasoline, but diesel, natural gas, etc) help the poor in THIS country! Liberals claim to be helping the poor, but when something like low energy prices come along, saving all of us BILLIONS, ESPECIALLY the poor! It’s like we all got pay raises! WTF??? So why are liberals against the poor keeping more of their own money? Hmmmmm???
Another Political Progressive academic telling the rest of us Gruber idiots what we should believe. Hey Professor, get a life, and a real job.
He’s that liberal nimrod driving the Prius that’s in front of you in the #1 lane of the fwy going 3mph below the speed limit and about 10mph slower than you’re going.
What a moron…
I agree with all you guys. The guy that came up with this pile probably dosent even drive, jackass. I tell what the low gas prices are going to do spur tire sales,like some 275 60’s . I hope it sticks through the summer, and I think it just goes to show us that we have been getting a hose job for a long time by whomever (who to blame?) and WE the consumers should be raising hell right now.
Awesome observations! The best application of book smarts I’ve ever encountered.
No street smarts what so ever! It’s these bloody morons spouting off at the mouth because he lived in his mom’s basement for a decade while he “went to school” that is driving the need for autonomous vehicles. As in these people need a vehicle that drives itself because letting them out of the house without supervision is cause for certain calamity.
The world is full of educated derelicts. If the intelligencia in this world including this whistle are so dog gone smart, why do we have problems now that there are no answers to? I agree with Jeff. Thses people are not interested in a common exchange of ideas or a usable education. Indoctination to drive this country into the ground. He may be a professor but he is still a fool.
what a maroon