Thats why I started with "fun with numbers".Sidhepro wrote:txinvestigator wrote:Fun with numbers;
Over the past few years the number of cell phone suscribers has increased dramtaically; while the rate of fatal car wrecks declined; therefore, cell phone usage has resulted in DECREASED fatal car crashes.
Key Annual Statistics for the USA
(source; Bureau of transportation statistics)
2001............... 2002................. 2003...............................2004
Fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled (the 'VMT rate')
1.51................. 1.51 ................1.48..................................1.46
Fatalities per 100,000 Population (the 'per capita' rate)
14.80................. 14.94 ...............14.75..............................14.52
Fatalities per 10,000 Registered Vehicles
19.07.................. 19.06............... 18.58..............................18.00
Ehhh.. Yeah but.
Cars are safer. Airbags are more prevalent (and required in newer vehicles at time of manufacture). More side airbags and improvements in other vehicle safety technology, such as anti-lock brakes, stability control, etc), have resulted in a decline in fatalities. Cell phone usage/ownership has nothing to do with the statistics/numbers that you've quoted, therefore your data is flawed and unfortunately incomplete as presented.
Yeah, there are more phones and there have been less fatalities in traffic accidents, but I doubt they are tied together.
Fender benders that cause minor injuries... yeah, I could buy that one influences the other, but fatalities? No. Not buying it. One does not equal/cause the other.
Click-It or Ticket is National. You could use these statistics to state that Click-It or Ticket is working. THAT I would buy, since use of seatbelts has been shown to decrease injuries/death.
Cell phones though? Naw. Classic example of skewed statistics.
Sorry Txinvestigator.
Kat <--hates stats, but got the concepts her prof pounded into her skull this year.
