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Monday, May 06, 2002

A new study suggests people living in rural areas may actually face a higher risk of dying in a traffic accident or being murdered by a stranger than residents of a metropolitan area such as Pittsburgh.

Traffic fatalities and homicides by strangers Annual averages 1997-99
	Population	Traffic fatalities	Rate per 10,000	Homicides	Rate per 10,000	Homicides by stranger	Rate per 10,000	Traffic fatalities, homicides per 10,000	Traffic fatalities, homicides by stranger per 10,000
Fayette County	148,644	29.0	2.0	4.0	0.3	0.8	0.1	2.2	2.0
Butler County	174,083	24.0	1.4	2.7	0.2	0.5	0.0	1.5	1.4
Washington County	202,897	24.7	1.2	4.7	0.2	0.8	0.0	1.4	1.3
Westmoreland County	369,993	45.0	1.2	6.0	0.2	1.1	0.0	1.4	1.2
Pittsburgh (City)	334,563	24.0	0.7	45.0	1.3	8.4	0.3	2.1	1.0
Beaver County	181,412	17.3	1.0	5.0	0.3	0.9	0.1	1.2	1.0
Allegheny County	1,281,666	79.0	0.6	66.0	0.5	12.1	0.1	1.1	0.7
Allegheny County (excluding Pittsburgh)	947,103	55.0	0.6	21.0	0.2	3.7	0.0	0.8	0.6
Source: William H. Lucy, professor of urban and environmental planning, University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va.