About 38 percent all traffic fatalities involve which of the following?
I. Alcohol
II. More than one car.
Answers
I only
II only
Both I & II
Neither I nor II
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is I only (Alcohol).
Explanation:
Traffic fatalities can be influenced by various factors, and one of the significant contributors is alcohol use. In fact, alcohol impairment is a leading cause of traffic accidents and fatalities. According to data from organizations like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the United States, alcohol is involved in approximately 30-40% of all traffic fatalities. This statistic means that in nearly 1 in 3 fatal crashes, the driver or another involved individual had alcohol in their system, often above the legal limit.
Alcohol impairs several critical functions needed for safe driving, including judgment, reaction time, coordination, and decision-making abilities. This makes individuals under the influence much more likely to be involved in fatal accidents, either by causing the crash or being involved as passengers or other road users.
Now, let’s break down the answer choices:
I. Alcohol:
As stated earlier, about 30-40% of all traffic fatalities involve alcohol, making this option correct. The direct correlation between alcohol consumption and impaired driving is well-documented and a significant concern for road safety worldwide.
II. More than one car:
While many traffic fatalities do involve more than one car (e.g., in head-on collisions or multi-car pileups), this factor alone does not account for as high a percentage of fatalities as alcohol does. In fact, many single-vehicle crashes also result in fatalities. The involvement of more than one car in a fatal accident is common but not as predominant a factor as alcohol consumption.
Thus, while both alcohol and multi-car crashes can contribute to fatalities, alcohol is the primary factor in around 38% of fatal accidents. This is why “I only” is the correct answer.