Car Sick with David Zipper

Driving fast on the open road is almost as American as apple pie. We all remember the thrill of our first car - a symbol of American freedom and independence. But is our love affair with cars killing us? David Zipper joins us to talk about the wide ranging health impacts of our car obsession, and how policy innovations like congestion pricing and weight-based taxes could offer a way out.

We dive into:

• Why pedestrian deaths are much higher in the US than Canada
• The successful, but potentially short-lived, NYC experiment with congestion pricing
• How SUVs have replaced sedans as the family vehicle, creating dangers for other drivers and pedestrians
• How Eisenhower’s vision of interstates connecting US cities got turned around

David says it’s time to focus on safety of those outside our vehicles, not just inside:

“We have spent so much time over decades emphasizing the safety of those inside a vehicle that we have… basically enabled the creation of these Goliaths of SUVs and trucks on our roads, where the marginal size provides maybe an incremental marginal safety benefit for occupants, but at an enormous cost to everybody outside of that huge car... We have… recently hit a year high for pedestrian and cyclist deaths in the US… If I were to rewrite Nader's book, like still unsafe at any speed, I would put much more of the focus on the safety of those outside the car as opposed to occupants.”

Relevant Links

Learn more about the MIT Mobility Initiative

Visit David Zipper’s website

Read articles by David Zipper:

In Vox (“Gigantic SUVs are a public health threat. Why don’t we treat them like one?”), Slate (“There is no technology fix for car bloat”) and Fast Company (“Who’s really to blame – and who isn’t – for America’s traffic death epidemic”).

About Our Guest

David Zipper is a Senior Fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative, examining the intersection of transportation policy, technology, and society. With experience in city government, venture capital, and consulting, he advises public agencies and foundations on improving transportation outcomes. A contributing writer for Vox and Bloomberg CityLab, his work focuses on road safety, climate change, and transit strategies. He previously served in leadership roles in Washington D.C. and New York City, and holds degrees from Harvard, Cambridge, and Swarthmore.

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