Gas versus Lives
Apr 15th, 2008 by gmoran
I thought Christopher Jensen made a lot of sense in his Sunday NY Times article, “Tiny Saves Gas, but Big Can Save Lives”. Of course with gas way above $3.00 per gallon, the public will become more enthralled with fuel efficiency. However, Christopher rightfully asks, “But are they safe?” Despite the significant variances in crash testing, the consensus finding over the years indicates that bigger is safer. Occupants of the smallest cars are about 51% more likely to be killed in a crash than those in midsize or large cars, according to 2006 fatality figures analyzed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Adrian Lund, the Institute’s president, points out that smaller cars have become safer in the last 10-15 years. However, he also reminds us that, “Almost everything you hit in the real world is more capable of causing damage to you if you are in a small, lightweight car than in a larger, heavier one.” Do you spend at the pump or spend at the emergency room?