Motor vehicle crashes cost the United States $340 billion a year, according to a study examining the cost of traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities.
Also, 36,500 people were killed, and 4.5 million people were injured in the USA in 2019.
This report makes the mistake of blaming individuals for not wearing seatbelts and speeding, when a shift in urban design is necessary to mitigate this disaster.
Transportation has always been expensive and dangerous. Take a look at any third world country, the roads there are dangerous af. Well that's what we used to be too. Historically speaking it's a recent luxury that we think it should be very safe and nearly free.
All forms of transportation used to be more dangerous. Engineering of both roads and cars is better. We have safety everywhere.
Relative to the safety of our time? Does that mean you are comparing it to deaths from disease, war, famine, etc. from the past? While people didn't travel as much. That's not what's being discussed.
I don't understand your point. Are you saying that recent attempts to make transportation safer for people is futile because travel is inherently dangerous?