The official death toll for the world trade centre attacks was 2752. The number of people killed in traffic accidents in the US in that year was 42196. Has it occurred to anyone that even if terrorism could be completely erradicated, a seven percent improvement in traffic safety would save more lives?

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/North...29/wtc.deaths/ (CNN website article about 9/11 death toll.)
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd...02alcfacts.pdf (US traffic fatalities statistics.)

No, I'm right with you Dirty Meg. People who say terror is the biggest threat to our lives are simply uninformed - I always find it amusing when scientists who argue climate change and pollution are the biggest killer are heckled down.

Another road accident comparison: 3,500 people per year die on British roads - some of the safest in the world. In the bloodiest year during the Palestinian intifada (2002), 452 Israeli's were killed, whilst in 2004 97 Israeli's have been killed so far according to ISA figures. France has 8,000 deaths per year on the road,

A greater number of people will die today in the United States on the road (115 people) than Israeli's have been killed by the Palestinians so far in the 11 months of this year.

And because these countries obviously have larger populations and therefore aren't a great comparison: in Israel itself, 500 people will die on the roads this year (projecting into the last month of the year) according to the Jerusalam post. 5 times more than have been killed this year by terror, and even more than died in the bloodiest year of the current intifada.

It's amazing how such relatively small numbers of deaths, because governments and media choose to highlight them, bring about huge changes in the world order and the oppression of an entire people. I think some perspective is sorely needed in the War on Terror.

Edit - added Israel's traffic death figures

[ 11-17-2004, 09:13 AM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

So I reckon we should nuke all the cars!!

Can't bolster an arms industry fighting cars ;)

Although just think of the vehicles we could have if all those billions were pumped into car development :D

Shhhhhh! Meg! You're threatening to destroy the illusions that hold contemporary western war-culture together! Pipe down before someone important hears you, or someone unimportant reports you to someone important! [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'm surprised noone thought of putting the blame on Saddam yet, or another Arab, they're such easy pickings. :D

The plan is to take over all the oil-producing Middle Eastern countries so that no one in the US will be able to afford gasoline when the costs multiply sixfold. The everyone will be forced to rely on mass transit, severely reducing traffic accidents, congestion, and pollution, and creating a lot more funding for the department of transportation.

Sure, everyone would be a lot safer if we had speed limits of 35 mph on the interstate and required all drivers to wear full body harnesses and a helmet. Anything can be overdone. Like it or not, the law of diminishing returns applies to traffic safety as it does to anything else, and the $$$ blow to commerce that would occur in order to get your 7% increase is too much to justify saving those lives.