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An estimated 20 million folks within the US traveled to a different metropolis to view the 2017 photo voltaic eclipse.
CNN
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There was a big improve in deadly automotive crashes in the USA across the time of the 2017 whole photo voltaic eclipse, a brand new evaluation exhibits.
The evaluation, revealed as a analysis letter Monday within the journal JAMA Inside Medication, discovered a 31% improve in visitors dangers across the time of the eclipse, much like the rise in danger round different holidays like Thanksgiving. In absolute phrases, that is a mean of 1 further crash-involved particular person each 25 minutes and 1 further crash fatality each 95 minutes.
Dr. Don Redelmeier, co-author of the evaluation and professor of drugs on the College of Toronto, stated that the heightened visitors danger just isn’t as a result of eclipse itself and the transient change in mild however somewhat the rise within the variety of folks touring. An estimated 20 million folks within the US traveled to a different metropolis to view the 2017 photo voltaic eclipse, in accordance with the research.
Individuals are extra more likely to be distracted, driving on unfamiliar roads and rushing to reach at their vacation spot on time, Redelmeier stated. They might even be intoxicated from eclipse-related celebrations or could select to view the occasion from unsafe roadside places, he added.
“One of many surprises that I didn’t anticipate was that the dangers don’t happen on the precise second of totality. It’s not when the whole lot is darkish and black and chilly, however as a substitute, they happen within the hours earlier than and after,” Redelmeier stated.
The evaluation discovered that the hours after the eclipse are particularly harmful, with an nearly 50% greater visitors danger than common.
To calculate the visitors danger, researchers in contrast the variety of all deadly visitors crashes within the three-day interval centered on the day of the eclipse – August 21, 2017 – and three-day management intervals per week earlier than and after the eclipse. The management intervals have been chosen to match the times of the week and to account for seasonal and weekly variations in danger.
A US Navy calculator was then used to find out the time of every automotive crash relative to the time of maximal eclipse based mostly on latitude and longitude, in accordance with the research.
The evaluation confirmed that the heightened visitors danger was constant throughout age, intercourse, and race and ethnicity. Clear climate appeared to intensify the danger, most certainly as a result of areas with clear skies attracted extra potential eclipse viewers, Redelmeier stated.
As the following whole photo voltaic eclipse approaches on April 8, Redelmeier stated he’s fearful {that a} related sample could happen. The trail of the April eclipse is inside driving vary for greater than 200 million folks throughout the US, in accordance with the research.
“An consciousness of the dangers permits folks to be extra aware once they’re driving and may encourage a safer expertise for us all every single day, not simply on the eclipse day,” he stated.
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To stop a rise in visitors fatalities, folks ought to respect pace limits, decrease distractions, put on their seatbelts and keep away from driving whereas impaired, Redelmeier stated.
In a video posted on X, US Federal Freeway Administration chief Shailen Bhatt stated that folks ought to plan to reach at their locations early, keep away from parking close to oncoming visitors and be careful for pedestrians and bicyclists. He additionally added that folks mustn’t watch the eclipse whereas driving.
“Please, everybody, look out for one another throughout this spectacular occasion,” Bhatt stated. “Don’t have an eclipse in judgement.”