The economic narratives that argue increased vehicle miles traveled correlate with prosperity ignore the detrimental aspects of car dependency in America, skewing public policy discussions.
While personal automobiles have undoubtedly expanded mobility, economic growth doesn't necessitate higher rates of driving, as GDP fails to reflect the complexities of healthcare costs arising from traffic incidents.
Motor vehicle crashes, costing society $340 billion in 2019 alone, highlight the paradox of the GDP metric, as increased healthcare spending boosts GDP but signifies a severe societal burden.
Despite being the highest healthcare spender globally, the United States still struggles with access to healthcare and outcomes, raising concerns about the intersection of car dependency and public health.
Collection
[
|
...
]