Mar 19, 2018

Historic day in car accidents.

 

Self-Driving Uber Car Kills Arizona Pedestrian


But the very first people killed by an automobile were much much earlier---

The first person killed by an automobile was Bridget Driscoll (UK), who received fatal injuries when she walked into the path of a car moving at 4 mph (6.4 km/h), as it was giving demonstration rides in the grounds of Crystal Palace, London, UK on 17 August 1896.
Bridget Driscoll was about 44 years old, and the car belonged to the Anglo-French Motor Car Company.
Pre-dating the death of Ms Driscoll is the death of Mary Ward of Belfast, who died on 31 August 1869 after falling out of a steam-powered carriage; Driscoll is therefore the first pedestrian killed by a car, while Ward is the first to die as a result of riding in a car.

Note that all three were women. But long term pedestrian deaths show a different picture, using 2013 as an example:

In 2013:
More than two-thirds (3,247 of 4,735 or 69%) of the pedestrians
killed in traffic crashes were males.
The total male pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 population was
2.09, which is more than double the rate for females (0.92 per
100,000 population).
The total male pedestrian injury rate per 100,000 population was
24, compared with 18 for females.
Starting at 40 and older, the total fatality rates were higher than
they were in the younger age groups.
The total fatality rate for pedestrians 65 and older was 2.00 per
100,000 population. In 2013, people 65 and older made up
14 percent of the country’s population.
The highest four total pedestrian injury rates by age group were
20-24, 25-29, 10-14, and 15-19 (40, 30, 29, and 27 per 100,000
population, respectively).
The female injury rates by age group for 25-29, 45-49, 35-39, and
55-59 (33, 26, 23, and 17 per 100,000 population, respectively)
were higher than the male injury rates (28, 16, 19, and 12 per
100,000 population, respectively)

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