Car Accidents, Gun Violence and Drug Abuse Lead to Shorter Life Expectancy for Americans
A major reason for shorter life expectancies in the U.S., relative to other countries, is the proliferation of guns, drugs and cars, according to a study conducted by federal health officials and recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examined 2012 data compiled by the federal government and the World Health Organization (WHO) and found that some of the leading causes of deaths in the U.S. are violence, drug overdoses and car accidents. By comparison, other developed nations with lower death rates from those three categories include Austria, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Young People Most at Risk of Death due to Car Crashes, Violence and Drugs
Although the quality of a country’s health care system is a major factor in the life expectancy of that nation’s residents, this tends to be most true when it comes to people passing away in their later years. This may explain the imbalance in longevity research over the past few decades, with many researchers focusing on deaths stemming from illnesses and health conditions in old age.
CDC researchers found that the leading causes of deaths among Americans under the age of 44 are violence, drug overdoses and fatal car accidents. This is likely a result of younger Americans being more willing to take risks with their health and safety, whether that involves illicit drug use, violent behavior or dangerous driving – something that is reflected in the higher auto insurance rates that teenagers and other young drivers often have to pay.
For more information about data on U.S. fatality rates, access the Yahoo.com article, “Gun, Drug, Car Deaths Loom Large in US Longevity Gap: Study.”
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, you should speak to a skilled personal injury attorney today. The NJ personal injury lawyers at Drazin and Warshaw, P.C. have more than 70 years of combined experience with the personal injury and wrongful death cases and will fight to get you full and fair compensation. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation about your case.
