Through this project, our group aims to deepen our understanding of a critical issue to affects millions of lives, car collisions. With a staggering 6 million car crashes annually leading to more than 38,000 fatalities, it is clear that we need to better understand the factors contributing to these incidents and develop strategies to prevent them. By analyzing various datasets, we hope to understand the correlation between different factors and car collisions and help drivers in the United States better avoid these incidents. The factors we're exploring are the impact of distracted driving, including texting, eating, talking, and smartphone use, on the frequency and severity of car crashes. Additionally, we want to investigate how weather and road conditions in each state influence collision rates. Exploring the correlation between a state's political stance and driving behaviors is another aspect we plan to delve into, as well as examining whether a state's level of education is correlated with the number of collisions. We chose these variables due to their relevance to everyday life and their resonance with topics that most Americans care about. Through our research, we hope to contribute valuable insights that can inform strategies for accident prevention, making driving safer for everyone.
Our initial investigation into the incidence of drivers involved in fatal collisions per billion miles uncovered noteworthy disparities among states. However, it didn’t provide any conclusive insight so we conducted further investigation into weather-related factors and uncovered intriguing correlations. States with higher rates of fatal collisions generally experienced a range of average annual precipitation, suggesting that adverse weather conditions could contribute to increased collision risks. However, temperature didn’t show any conclusive data and this departure from our initial expectations is logical because residents in these states are likely accustomed to these weather patterns and have likely developed strategies to mitigate the risks associated with driving in adverse conditions. We also explored the political landscape where we found States with a higher percentage of residents identifying as Democrats showed lower collision rates compared to their Republican-leaning counterparts.
The most noteworthy finding we found was through our education data, which demonstrated a consistent pattern where states boasting higher percentages of adults with bachelor's degrees or higher tended to exhibit lower rates of fatal collisions. As we can see in the chart below, there is a consistent downward linear pattern where the number of fatal collision rates decreases as the percentage of bachelor's degrees or higher goes up. This correlation aligns with the understanding that individuals with lower education levels may be more prone to reckless behavior, influenced by factors such as substance use or limited opportunities for advancement. Consequently, it underscores the critical importance of emphasizing the provision of opportunities for less fortunate individuals to complete their education. By ensuring broader access to education, we take a significant step toward enhancing road safety, addressing underlying factors that contribute to a safer driving environment.