A system prioritizing safety could involve utilizing data from traffic cameras to identify dangerous drivers and preemptively remove their vehicles. Traffic cameras can be distributed more evenly across neighborhoods, similar to European cities, and the revenue generated from traffic violations can be invested in safer infrastructure. Additionally, implementing fees based on income, like in Scandinavian countries, would be more proportional. Ultimately, the goal should be to remove the most dangerous drivers from the road without unfairly punishing others.
Across the country, traffic deaths are spiking. Vox’s Marin Cogan tells the tragic story of one grisly crash in Washington, DC, and we ask whether changes to traffic policing could be partly to blame.
This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Serena Solin and Amanda Lewellyn, engineered by Patrick Boyd and David Herman, and hosted by Noel King.
Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained
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