Map of life expectancy at birth from Global Education Project.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

One good way to stay alive . . .

... is to drive and ride in comparatively safe vehicles. If you're buying a car, make sure you get good gas mileage, and also make sure it's as safe as it can be.

Our friend Ben Kelley of the Public Health Advocacy Institute has sent a link to their new automobile hazards information site. Much of the site is for researchers and wonks, but they have a page for consumers that you should definitely check out before you head out to dicker with the guy in the lemon yellow blazer and checkered pants. There are a bunch of informative links, and click the link at the bottom for a complete listing of makes and models with their summary safety ratings. Note, as we posted a while back, that the large SUVs tend to have moderate to high rollover risk.

But their goals are broader than just helping you buy a car. According to Ben:

Our aim is to provide access for the public to a growing number of key source documents that put motor vehicle hazard control into its historical perspective. . . .Motor vehicle crash injury prevention is a prime example of public health needs that require legal interventions in the legislative, regulatory and judicial arenas. Increasing the effectiveness of efforts by the world of law to help achieve public health goals is a principal mission of the Public Health Advocacy Institute.

Sounds good to me.

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