Jacksonville: built for fatal car crashes and drunk driving

[JFman00]

Are Some Cities Built to Encourage Drunk Driving?

The roads of Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, and Jacksonville all seem like great places to avoid. Statistically, these are some of the least safe large cities for driving in the United States. Between 2001 and 2010, each of them had a rate of fatal car accidents higher than one per thousand residents (see excerpt from column 2, below left). They also had very high rates of fatalities involving intoxication.

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This point may be made in reverse about Jacksonville, whose sprawling city limits include over half the population of the metro area. Thus, compared to its neighbors at the top of the list -- Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, and especially Detroit, all of which deal with a huge number of non-resident drivers -- Jacksonville's streets are even more deadly than that fatalities per capita figure would have you believe.

[duvaldude08]

Are Some Cities Built to Encourage Drunk Driving?

The roads of Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, and Jacksonville all seem like great places to avoid. Statistically, these are some of the least safe large cities for driving in the United States. Between 2001 and 2010, each of them had a rate of fatal car accidents higher than one per thousand residents (see excerpt from column 2, below left). They also had very high rates of fatalities involving intoxication.

...

This point may be made in reverse about Jacksonville, whose sprawling city limits include over half the population of the metro area. Thus, compared to its neighbors at the top of the list -- Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, and especially Detroit, all of which deal with a huge number of non-resident drivers -- Jacksonville's streets are even more deadly than that fatalities per capita figure would have you believe.

Very true. There are not enought transportation options to get people off the streets, drunk or sober.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

This isn't an advocacy for drunk driving, but due to the sprawl of J'ville and lack of other alternatives, after having a few drinks most have to navigate the expressways / interstates with speeds exceeding 70+mph.

Instead of a leisurely sideswipe at <30mph in the local neighborhood, people are totaling vehicles and killing themselves and others in the process.

And I'm sure the, 'just catch a cab' crowd will chime in, but unless you're at the beach, there's nary one to be found unless you like waiting 30-60 minutes for a ride.  It's actually worse than the bus system.

[JFman00]

Taking a cab back from SJTC/the Beaches to the Westside costs me 30-40 bucks assuming I'm willing to wait for one, plus having to get my car the next morning. The "we drive you home in your own car" is even more expensive, and good luck doing it on the weekend. As a result, I just don't go out with my friends who live Southside (most of them) unless they're going to come out to Riverside. Saves me money, but in other cities I'd be spending that money in the local economy.

[Jaxson]

I miss the days when I lived in Riverside when I could walk a few blocks to the nearest watering hole and stumble back home.  It is true that our city is not the best for those who want to party, but I remember living in Dover, Delaware when I was in the Air Force and noticing that quite a few airmen got DUIs because there was nothing else to do but go clubbing and drive back to the base.