When most
people think of holidays, they think of Christmas, New Years Eve, 4th
of July, and Thanksgiving. They also think of more cars on the road, fender
benders, and a fair number of traffic jams. This November, there is an
additional day drivers need to watch out for – Election Day.
In the rush
to get to the polls, you are 18% more likely to die than on any other Tuesday
in October and November combined. That's according to a recent study in the
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that examined U.S.
traffic deaths on presidential Election Days from 1976 to 2008. You are also
much more likely to suffer disabling injuries So is voting for President
hazardous to your health. Let's consider whether people are rushing to the
voting booths or to the shopping malls.
Many stores
have sales on Election Day, so it is quite possible that shopping is a reason
for more people to be on the road. These additional shoppers, of course, only
add to the numbers of people traveling on that day. Although the JAMA study didn't
track where the drivers were going, the number of accidents increased mainly
during voting hours. This time frame indicates that it is more possible that
it's the voters who are getting hurt - and not the shoppers. Voters may also be
distracted by thinking about the possible candidates.
When there
are more cars on the road, it only makes sense that there will be more chances
for accidents. The authors of the JAMA study have been observing presidential
election days for the past eight elections, and the trend of 18% increase in
deaths has been observed with slight variation each time.
While
rushing to the polls after work may be your plan of action, remember to take it
easy, because you may not make it to the voting booths if you drive recklessly.
At an 18% increase in the death rate, is voting too hazardous for your health
or is it worth the risk?
Resources:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26959100/
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