Despite recent anecdotal evidence to the contrary, traffic deaths are actually going down. So far down, in fact, that they're on track to hit their lowest levels since 1961. It's probably the one silver lining associated with sky-high gas prices—as drivers slow down, clock fewer miles, and cut unnecessary trips, the number of deaths declines sharply. The insurance companies have been quietly enjoying the decline in claims resulting from the 12 billion fewer miles American motorists drove in June as compared to the same month of the previous year. But the associated dearth of deaths stems from more complicated factors, including differences in how people drive and when people drive when fuel prices hit the roof. Drivers may forgo aimless nighttime cruising, for example, which is statistically less safe than slower, more well-lit daytime commuting. Statistically riskier driver groups, like teens and the elderly, might also be hit hardest by higher gas prices and staying off the roads at a higher rate than the rest of us. These are just a couple of examples of how fuel prices are influencing driver demographics and behavior—read more at msnbc, and check out the full University of Michigan study here.
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