In 2020, the year of Covid shutdowns and travel advisories, one would not be surprised to find that the amount of miles driven by Americans spiked downward.  The surprising statistic is that the amount of traffic crash fatalities spiked upward at the same time, making the fatalities/miles driven rate spike even more upward.

(Associated Press)  "Pandemic lockdowns and stay-at-home orders kept many drivers off U.S. roads and highways last year. But those who did venture out found open lanes that only invited reckless driving, leading to a sharp increase in traffic-crash deaths across the country.

The nonprofit National Safety Council (NSC) estimates in a report issued Thursday that 42,060 people died in vehicle crashes in 2020, an 8% increase over 2019 and the first jump in four years.

Plus, the fatality rate per 100 million miles driven spiked 24%, the largest annual percentage increase since the council began collecting data in 1923.  Federal data shows that Americans drove 13% fewer miles last year."

The article offers some theories as to why the statistics went the way they did, while offering some anecdotes of officials seeing a rise in risk-taking behavior on the roads, adding that the percentage of crashes attributed to drug impairments (alcohol, marijuana, opioids, etc.) also rose.  

One could definitely make the case that the psychological factors of dealing with the 'new normal' probably drove many to escape more through intoxicants, while the loss of control over their lives and their businesses could have made them accept more risk when driving.  Yet, what if the rise in fatal crash rates was less on the psychological side and more on the physical side?

For the main difference between driving in the years preceding 2020 and driving in 2020, especially in certain states, was the widespread wearing of masks in 2020.  Consider that many inherent dangers arise from actually wearing a mask when driving.  Most people adjust their masks religiously, particularly when there is not a good seal. This creates not only a manual disruption, but a cognitive one as well. The feeling of the mask disrupts your thought patterns which can cause you to adjust it, prompting a loss of concentration on the road and your speedometer making a crash more likely.   

If you wear glasses, most masks don’t fit properly or lack an adjustable nose bridge, which can cause your breath to rise through the opening and fog up your glasses. The visual distraction is annoying and unnecessarily puts you at an exceeded risk of being involved in a crash.  In similar manner, if you do not wear glasses, wearing a face mask makes the exhaled air go into the eyes, this generates an uncomfortable dry-eye feeling, tiredness, and an impulse to touch your eyes. If your hands are contaminated, you are infecting yourself.

While most people understand that a mask is unnecessary when they drive by themselves or with household members, taxicab, bus, and delivery drivers usually wear masks due to law, expedience, or courtesy, and many may forego their eyewear rather than their mask and become a danger on the road because of poor vision.  Added to that problem has been the closure of eye doctors for most of 2020 in many states, leading to many having visual difficulties.

Even if one does not wear a mask while driving home from a job, if that job required the wearing of face masks for 8 or more hours one may temporarily experience hypooxygenemia and hypercapnia which reduce working efficiency and the ability to make correct decisions.   Dizziness, headaches, and shortness of breath are commonly experienced as side effects of wearing masks over a long period of time.  These conditions negatively affect driving skills and can cause crashes.

An earlier study from the NSC from six months ago indirectly illustrates why wearing masks driving or before driving appears to increase traffic crashes.  Vermont led the nation, with a 91% increase in crash fatalities, they instituted a mask mandate on April 20th.  Connecticut had a 46% increase, starting their mask mandate on April 17th.  Washington DC's mayor enacted his first mask order on April 9th, their crash fatality rate increase was 42%.  Their early mask mandates were among the toughest in the nation.  None of the seven safest states, all having a 16% or better reduction in traffic fatalities over that period, had statewide mask mandates until after June 30th.

In the face of these physical and statistical realities, one might unmask the truth behind the hidden danger that has made our roads and streets less safe.

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Per Webster: Jitters = a state of nervous agitation. Fits pretty good for this troll too.

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Good point, Aquaman! I see I was calling the troll "Jitter" when he has multiple "Jitters."

Whoever it is, it seems he's been connected with the old city attempt to discredit X with the argument "there are only three or four persons commenting" so don't worry, we can cut out his tongue. If you are trolling Jitters, let me remind you of a quote:

"When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him wrong, you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say." --George R. R. Martin (not plagarism because I attribute the quote, for you in Jittersland).

This is what the city of Ludington has tried to do for years: discredit, suppress, humiliate, lock out of city hall, pull up x's political signs, fill elected positions with appointments and other sorts of dirty politics to keep their inhouse plans going without public input. In turn they cut out the tongues of the public.

I missed Jitters last argument before he up and mysteriously split with his nervous agitation.  He's nervous about what X says.  Even though I can tolerate a mask and go along with the farce, I can't tolerate people who attack without reason, and jumps on the bandwagon of continuing the corruption of public officials.

I figured a troll or two might drop by today, my assertions in Scottville on Monday made the front page of the COLDNews.  It's one of the few times the paper didn't actively try to assassinate my position or character and let the facts speak for themselves.  They even interviewed (or tried to) the principals involved and the former Scottville CM (but not me).  

So Jitters took his words and left like he didn't want them to be seen, didn't want to admit he didn't understand what plagarism means and that he wrongfully accused X of it.

I noticed the LDN didn't display its usual contempt for X and the interviews of Scottville city officials was better reporting.  But the chief/acting manager didn't speak.  Both William's and Shafer have no memory of Shafer moving to full time.  I imagine Alvarado is trying to interpret "at the pleasure of the commission" and chief won't speak without legal representation.

"Williams said it’s the city manager that hires, fires and promotes staff. The city’s charter states that the person in that office can do so at the pleasure of the commission, which leaves some room for interpretation.  She said she has no memory of ever moving an employee from part-time to full-time that Shafer went to full time."  (Quote from Ludington Daily News, Jitters).  So, that's not looking real formal-like for Shafer to go from part-to-full if she or her boss can't remember.  And how is "at the commission's pleasure" defined in law?  Maybe it is just a passing fling on the street or sweet and pleasurable dreams.

I'm still curious as to why the LDN is spending time on this situation since they have no desire to investigate any signs of corruption in Ludington's City Hall. That's a news story in itself.

I've wondered the same too, Willy. I think it is still a bit to discredit XLFD. I read that in the title ... Tom Rotta ACCUSES Scottville ... this title could have been written so many ways differently to give Rotta a better light, e.g. Tom Rotta "questions", "speaks about", or even more neutral "Possible Issue at Scottville city Hall ..." and not make Tom Rotta the center of the story. The title is meant as a smear, imo. The thing is, anyone with half their brain tied behind their back can see where this is going, unless it's swept under the rug and waffled around in legal interpretation. I've been researching the term "at the pleasure of" use all the way to Federal appointments, means "without contract, and at will" basically can be fired or released at any time. So, unless Scottville's charter (which I havent read) doesn't state how a part-time employee is made a full-time employee (and I think Rotta addressed that properly), there is ignorance of the charter or corruption, imo.

FS, editors of for-profit newspapers understand that bland headlines are less likely to draw a casual reader's interest than spicier headlines.  If Rotta merely 'questions a possible issue' at city hall, many will go 'So what?' and read the feature story on Sandcastles museum.  Even if Rotta 'alleges' misuse of funds, the reaction is more likely to be 'Who cares?  Anybody can make an unproven allegation.'

For the LDN to use the word 'accuses', it obliquely acknowledges that there is substance behind the charge, which is a dangerous thing because they acknowledge the truth, a position they haven't cared much about in Ludington's venue.  Truth is, I accused two city officials with taking undue compensation, a theft that is best explained as embezzlement.  

I actually appreciate the fact that they didn't use the stronger headline and say "Rotta accuses Scottville officials of embezzlement', because I came up short on that charge by merely inferring it from what the record showed.  LDN's problem is that they did bypass my input beyond what I said at the meeting, because I could have laid out the case that Chief Murphy is claiming and cashing in on comp time he isn't entitled to, as shown in this LT article.  Had Riley Kelley also read my article after this last meeting, they would understand that there is another issue dealing with authorizing FMLA leave (which does not apply for the COS) which indicates that neither CM Magaluk, CT Shafer, CA Alvarado, or anybody on the commission had issue with financing the cost of that leave with taxpayer dollars.

I think we commented on the wrong thread, Willy. At least my reply was meant to go on the story about LDN "accusing" Rotta of "accusing" the City of Scottville .... sorry if I'm on the wrong page.

FS, I was commenting on X's link to the LDN article. I know it doesn't apply to this topic but it does apply to X's cmments. That's been the history of this forum, which I like, and that is when a topic makes many turns  it can eventually end up being about an entirely different subject. I don't think the LDN would be covering the story about Scottville if there wasn't some meat on it's bones. I think your right. The LDN is using X as cover in case there is a backlash about the potential corruption that's been brought to light. The LDN can duck down behind X claiming they are only covering his story and what he has brought forth regarding Scottville's City Hall.

Willy, you've been following this website's investigations for a dozen years into mostly-City of Ludington-involved illegalities and the reactions to some of those charges by the local media (the COLDNews and MCP).  Some of those were at least as equally compelling as this, but the response from the media was either 'ho-hum' or 'Rotta's on another vendetta'.  One can debate the language used in the COLDNews' perspective-change revelation in the latest article, but one cannot debate that the reporter here did some digging, interviewing multiple officials, and presented my words without the usually-added scorn.  Why the change?

It's irrefutable that the MCP has a political bias-- the managing editor and author of most stories is a Scottville City Commissioner and has been caught politicizing and propagandizing on numerous occasions.  Expect Rob Alway to go into spin doctor mode, which will likely manifest itself with attacks on me and my credibility.

The LDN understands politics too, and if they were to side with someone other than Ludington City Hall, the LASD, or the Mason County Courthouse, there would be repercussions not only with their access to these venues, but with the powerful people, groups and businesses that are the discrete influencers of these public bodies.  The City of Scottville is not only small potatoes as they are concerned, but also contains their main competitor in local news coverage, former LDN reporter Rob Alway, who they can subliminally discredit when corruption rears its head at Scottville City Hall.

I hadn't thought about that convoluted angle. To me, it's all a bit inbred, anyway, and I don't have all that much history, but I heard Alway had worked for the LDN and broke off to form MCP. And the rivals of all three medias.

So I looked at it the other way, that the LDN looks like a vindictive outlet for calling X an accuser, when the truth comes out. But what is the chance the truth will be exposed when Alvarado's research comes to light?

I think what happened is that the treasurer had a rub with the new CM when she was granted a family leave (which wasn't valid). The treasurer had to do more work and didn't like it, and moved herself into a full-time position without knowing the charter--just kept gradually convincing past cm that she had more work to do. Then when chief/acting cm get together they both get more hours, no one following charter law. And Alvarado misadvised about FMLA, so the council approved an FMLA that wasn't applicable because they had too few employees. That's my hunch.

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