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Science has a way of presenting real facts and connecting dots you’ve probably never seen connect. For example, who would have thought to find a link between people who decided to transmit the vaccination against COVID-19 and road accidents? A recent study published in The American Journal of Medicine shares the science behind such a link that actually exists.
In the study, Canadian researchers reviewed more than 11 million COVID-19 vaccination records, of individuals over the age of 18 who would have been licensed, from diverse social, economic and health care backgrounds. Of these 11 million, 16% (1,760,000) were not vaccinated. The researchers then looked at the records and identified unvaccinated people who may have traffic-related diseases such as dementia, diabetes, sleep apnea and alcohol abuse, then looked at the side of traffic accidents. Such situations included incidents that sent patients to the emergency room, time and day, ambulance involvement, and a “triage severity score.”
With all these parameters considered, the researchers were able to identify that people who had not received a COVID-19 vaccine were at higher risk of car crashes. But it wasn’t because of the vaccine. The link really boils down to the risks associated with decision making, as it relates to decisions related to vaccination and also to obedience (or non-obedience) to traffic laws.
Of course, this isn’t saying that if you didn’t fire, you’ll wind up or cause a car accident. Correlation doesn’t work that way. However, the researchers concluded that if an individual was hesitant or unwilling to “protect” themselves with the vaccine, these same people were more likely to have no respect for traffic laws. And the data is there to back it up.
Of the unvaccinated, 72 percent they were more likely to be involved in a serious car accident. These numbers appear to worsen when the study pointed out that the rate was “similar to the relative risk associated with sleep apnea” but still not as severe as those who abused alcohol. But the risk is still there, so much so that the study said the risk “outweighs the safety gains from modern advances in automotive engineering and imposes risks on other road users as well.”
One thing the study admitted was that “correlation does not mean causation.” The study didn’t try to touch on whether or not there was a link between not vaccinating and reckless driving. But the study authors speculated.
One possibility involves distrust of government or a belief in liberty that contributes to both vaccination preferences and increased trafficking risks. A different explanation could be misconceptions about everyday hazards, a belief in nature conservation, an antipathy towards regulation, chronic poverty, exposure to misinformation, insufficient resources, or other personal beliefs. Alternative factors might include identity politics, negative past experiences, limited health literacy, or social networks leading to doubts about public health guidelines. These subjective unknowns remain topics for further research.”
If you want to know more you can read more about the study and its findings here.
