[OC] All-Time Deadliest Accidents and Disasters vs. One Year of Traffic DeathsSubmitted by databeautifier t3_11ij5le in dataisbeautiful
ar243 t1_jaykaj8 wrote
This infographic is misleading.
Comparing the worst event of a particular category to the summation of all events in another is not a good comparison at all, and is misleading.
A better comparison would be to compare the worst car crash in history to the worst tornado in history.
Or, if you want to continue using running totals, just use the total number of tornado deaths in 2022 compared to the total number of automotive deaths in 2022.
kompootor t1_jayy21o wrote
The title and thesis of the infographic are, to me, clear: that the number of annual automotive traffic deaths exceeds the largest amount of deaths of ever from a single disaster event in each category.
Though perhaps, now that the issue is raised, it would be more poignant to take something like the worst year of the deaths for each category, instead of the worst single event; the only one of the list I'd expect to get markedly worse from this amendment would be flooding, but it would pre-empt this possible objection. You could, if you like, denote the difference between the worst single event and other events that year with a slightly different color shade in the same box area.
ar243 t1_jb1h8ge wrote
Numerous people in the comments section have already made the mistake of thinking all the sections are based on last year's figures. And if that were the case it would paint natural disasters in a far worse light compared to cara... Which is why it's misleading.
databeautifier OP t1_jayoiqm wrote
I agree that comparing single events to the summation of all events over a time period can be misleading, but I don't think that's the case with this post because I called that difference out in four places: the post title, the all-red title text of the visualization, bold text in a box around the traffic deaths, and my first comment here.
The other comparisons you mention are of course valid, but I think this kind of comparison is valid too provided the different time scales are prominently called out.
asyrin25 t1_jaz2rx0 wrote
I agree with the post you're responding to.
A misleading info graphic that explains that it's misleading is still misleading.
Putting these events together in a visualization is suggesting to your consumer that they're comparable, even if you point out why they're not in four different places.
A zoomed in line graph that grossly overestimates changes in the Y axis is still misleading even if the Y axis is clearly labeled. Even if the title of the graph is "Zoomed in Line Graph"
SecurelyObscure t1_jb01ktv wrote
Agreed. This is the "vending machines kill more than sharks" version of road deaths.
It's true, sure, but the critical aspect of the whole thing is the number of people being exposed to the threat.
ar243 t1_jb1hx8n wrote
And don't forget time exposed.
Most people spend ~31,000 minutes (2 hour total commute, 5 days a week) in a car in one year.
Most people spend 0 minutes per year in a natural disaster.
Not only that, but cars are extremely useful, natural disasters are not.
[deleted] t1_jazufvb wrote
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[deleted] t1_jazysym wrote
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ar243 t1_jazznaq wrote
...no?
Think of it this way: Would you compare all tornado deaths in 2022 to the worst hurricane of all time? Probably not, because that's a bad way to compare two things.
Also, a car is much, much, MUCH less dangerous than any of these. Would you rather spend five minutes in a flood or five minutes in a car? The only reason cars are so high is because we spend 100,000x more time in a car than we do in an active natural disaster. Not to mention cars benefit us by transporting us, while there aren't a whole lot of upsides to natural disasters.
Also, you are awfully rude.
CesarMdezMnz t1_jazwhur wrote
I think you're missing the point.
It compares one year of traffic deaths vs. all time of any other disaster to put in real perspective how many people die in traffic.
soundisloud t1_jb06hkn wrote
It's not though. That's also what I thought at first. It compares one year of traffic deaths vs. the single deadliest event of each other disaster. So the single worst plane crash, or single worst flood. It's a confusing comparison.
CesarMdezMnz t1_jb2pokk wrote
Yeah, but not a single traffic accident makes it to the news when it happens, like an aeroplane crash or a natural disaster.
However, more people die in traffic every year than in any other accident/disasters combined together over time.
ar243 t1_jazxr8a wrote
I understand the point, and using an apples to oranges comparison is disingenuous.
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