Why Does a Solar Eclipse Cause a Serious Crisis Worldwide?
Scientists have warned that the total solar eclipse, which the universe will witness on April 8th, will cause a significant increase in a serious crisis worldwide, manifested in fatal car accidents.
Dr. Donald Redelmeier, a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, stated in his report that there was a significant increase in fatal car accidents during the total solar eclipse in North America in 2017.
In his report, published in the scientific journal JAMA Internal Medicine, Redelmeier mentioned that “problems occur during the hours close to the eclipse time, when people travel to their viewing locations.”
Estimates revealed that about 20 million people in the United States traveled to different cities to reach the path of the total eclipse.
Due to the traffic congestion during the 2017 solar eclipse, Redelmeier and his colleagues wanted to know if the eclipse was associated with life-threatening road accidents.
After studying data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, focusing on the three days before and after the eclipse on August 21, 2017, they found that the eclipse was associated with a 31% increase in fatal accidents.
According to the study, the eclipse period witnessed approximately 10 people involved in fatal accidents per hour.
Risks varied over time, rising above average before the solar eclipse, then decreasing to below that during the eclipse, then rising to its highest levels, about 50% above average, after the event.
Redelmeier stated: “The conclusion we propose is to recommend all standard safety strategies, as they are already effective.”
These measures include adhering to speed limits, reducing distractions while driving, signaling turns and lane changes, and wearing seat belts.
