It's Monday, so we'll start with some good news.
Car-related deaths for folks under 25 are down, according to a study by the Center for Disease Control. The C.D.C. attributes this decline to "improved technology, tougher laws and less driving by young people," according to The Economist.
The bad news is that the rate of deaths related to gun violence for the under-25 set is increasing, and it's actually on track to exceed car-related deaths. The majority of these deaths are suicides, accidents or domestic violence. Back in 2012, Bloomberg News estimated that "by 2015, firearm fatalities will probably exceed traffic fatalities for the first time, based on data compiled by Bloomberg."
Although the number of gun owners is down, there are almost as many guns as there are people in the United States. Government regulations on vehicles are more stringent than gun laws, especially since the National Rifle Association (which has plenty of pals in Congress) opposes some suggested safety features. Meanwhile, because of that relationship between the N.R.A. and Congress, there's a dearth of studies that show a link between gun ownership and public health. President Obama's pick for Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, was quite controversial because Murthy tweeted in 2012 that gun violence is also "a health care issue." The Senate voted to confirm Murthy's nomination in December. (The Economist)