Common Core State Standard L.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: Video of a current news event is presented for discussion to encourage student participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the video. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.
01/02/2017
Driverless Cars May Worsen The Organ Shortage
When the fleets of driverless cars start rolling out, they're expected to drastically decrease road deaths, because humans cause 94 percent of of road fatalities. But, with 1 out of 5 organs for transplants coming from traffic accidents the shortage for transplant patients could grow worse. Roughly 6,500 people in the U.S. die waiting for an organ transplant every year.
■Class discussion: How many people die from traffic accidents each year in the United States? How many people might driverless vehicles save? How does that compare with the additional number of transplant patients that might die? An organ shortage is just one of the possible consequences of driverless vehicles. What are the others? Jobs? Cost of goods? Loss of revenue from traffic tickets?