Pedestrian deaths soared in a handful of states in 2022

Arizona, Virginia, Oregon lead the way with increases of more than 40 percent.

Pedestrian deaths soared in a handful of states in 2022

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images)

America was a dangerous place to be a pedestrian in 2022. Preliminary data analyzed by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GSHA) found that 7,508 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes last year, the highest number of deaths since 1981. But the carnage is very unevenly distributed; 26 states and the District of Columbia actually became safer for pedestrians during 2022, and the nationwide year-on-year increase in pedestrian traffic deaths was just 1 percent. Overall, there was a 0.3 percent reduction in fatal vehicle crashes in the US last year.

The last few years have seen an alarming rise in pedestrian fatalities. In 2010, 4,302 pedestrians were killed by US traffic, accounting for 13 percent of all traffic deaths. But by 2021, the number of pedestrian deaths had increased by 77 percent to 7,624.

You might have noticed that's actually a little higher than the number that the GSHA is projecting for 2022; Oklahoma was apparently unable to provide 2022 data, and the data reported by the State Highway Safety Offices is usually about 2 percent greater than the data in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Therefore the 2021 number for comparison, excluding Oklahoma, was 7,443 pedestrians.

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Dealmaster: Power tools, laptops, gaming accessories, and more

Top summer savings on tech products, from power tools to gaming laptops.

Promotional image of Razer Blade Pro 17

Enlarge / The Razer Blade Pro 17 gaming laptop. (credit: Razer)

Whether you spend your summer relaxing with a new gaming laptop or grab some new power tools for home repairs, there are plenty of ways to stay busy as the days get long. Fortunately, no matter where you fall in the spectrum of summer fun or productivity, we've scoured the web for some terrific deals to help save you money.

If you fall into the relaxing camp, consider a new laptop like Apple's latest 15-inch MacBook Air or a new Razer Blade gaming notebook. But if you want to do some handiwork around the home, there are some discounts on power tools.

Laptops and desktops

Lenovo ThinkPad P16.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16. (credit: Lenovo)

  • Alienware Aurora R14 (AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and RTX 3080) for $1,845 (was $2,300) at Amazon
  • Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M2) for $1,236 (was $1,299) at Amazon
  • Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M1) for $800 (was $999) at Amazon
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P16 (16-inch, Intel Core i9-12950HX and RTX A4500) for $2,679 (was $6,699) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P16 (16-inch, Intel Core i9-12900HX and RTX A4500) for $2,839 (was $7,099) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 (16-inch AMD Lyzeen 7 7745HX and RTX 4070) for $1,599 (was $1,840) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo Legion Slim 5i (16-inch, Intel Core i7-13700H and RTX 4060) for $1,302 (was $1,630) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i (16-inch, Intel Core i5-13500H and RTX 3050) for $931 (was $1,500) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1360P) for $1,475 (was $1,800) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1260P) for $1,650 with THINKPADJUNEDEALS coupon (was $3,439) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (14-inch, Intel Core i7-1365U) for $1,135 with THINKJUNE coupon (was $3,559) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 (14-inch, AMD Ryzen 5 7530U) for $504 (was $740) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 2 (13-inch, Intel Core i5-1135G7) for $609 with X13G2CLEARANCE (was $2,319) at Lenovo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad E14 (14-inch, AMD Ryzen 7 5825U) for $773 with THINKSPECIALSAVE coupon (was $1,869) at Lenovo
  • Razer Blade 14 (14-inch, AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX and RTX 3060) for $1,800 (was $2,000) at Razer
  • Razer Blade 15 (15-inch, 12th Gen Intel Core i7 and RTX 3080 Ti) for $3,000 (was $3,700) at Razer
  • Razer Blade 17 (17-inch, 12th Gen Intel Core i9 and RTX 3070 Ti) for $3,100 (was $3,800) at Razer

Smartphones

  • Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 512GB for $1,470 (was $1,920) at Amazon
  • Motorola Moto G 5G for $200 (was $400) at Motorola
  • Motorola Moto G Power 5G for $280 (was $300) at Motorola
  • Motorola Edge+ for $500 (was $1,000) at Motorola

Memory and storage

  • Crucial X6 4TB portable SSD for $210 (was $450) at Amazon
  • Crucial X8 4TB portable SSD for $220 (was $480) at Amazon
  • Crucial X8 2TB portable SSD for $115 (was $220) at Amazon
  • Samsung T7 Shield 2TB portable SSD for $130 (was $140) at Amazon
  • Samsung T7 2TB portable SSD for $115 (was $270) at Amazon
  • Samsung 970 EVO Plus 2TB internal NVMe M.2 SSD for $95 after coupon (was $130) at Amazon
  • Samsung 990 Pro with Heatsink (Playstation 5 compatible) 2TB internal NVMe M.2 SSD for $180 (was $240) at Amazon
  • Samsung 870 EVO SATA III 1TB SSD for $50 (was $64) at Amazon
  • Samsung Pro Plus 512GB microSDXC memory card for $50 (was $65) at Amazon

Logitech gaming controllers, headsets, and accessories

  • Logitech G29 driving wheel and floor pedals for $230 (was $400) at Amazon
  • Logitech G Cloud Handheld Console for $300 (was $350) at Best Buy
  • Logitech G Pro X Wired 7.1 surround sound gaming headset for $100 (was $130) at Best Buy
  • Logitech One 900 wireless noise canceling on-ear headset for $200 (was $240) at Best Buy
  • Logitech G735 Aurora wireless gaming headset for $203 (was $230) at Best Buy
  • Logitech Pro X Superlight gaming mouse for $130 (was $160) at Best Buy
  • Logitech G305 Lightspeed gaming mouse for $40 (was $50) at Best Buy
  • Logitech G703 Lightspeed gaming mouse for $70 (was $90) at Best Buy
  • Logitech G903 Lightspeed gaming mouse for $100 (was $130) at Best Buy
  • Logitech G502 Hero wired gaming mouse for $46 (was $50) at Best Buy
  • Logitech MX Master 3S wireless mouse for $92 (was $100) at Best Buy
  • Logitech G502 X Plus Lightspeed gaming mouse for $148 (was $160) at Best Buy
  • Logitech G915 Lightspeed full-size wireless mechanical keyboard for $162 (was $250) at Best Buy
  • Logitech G535 Lightspeed wireless Dolby Atoms over-the-ear gaming headset for $99 (was $130) at Best Buy

Tools

  • Dewalt 20V Max cordless drill/driver kit for $99 (was $179) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 20V Max XR brushless motor impact driver for $99 (was $149) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 20V Max cordless drill and impact driver kit for $159 (was $239) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 20V Max cordless hand vacuum for $91 (was $159) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 20V Max orbital sander and oscillating tool for $229 (was $349) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 20V Max reciprocating saw for $109 (was $159) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 20V Max compact battery 2 Ah 2-pack for $64 (was $71) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 14-piece titanium nitride drill bit for $21 (was $25) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 20V Max 7-tool kit for $599 (was $819) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 20V Max hammer drill and impact driver kit for $299 (was $409) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 20V Max 3-tool kit for $329 (was $369) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 20V Max XR 5 Ah battery 2-pack for $149 (was $259) at Amazon
  • Dewalt 14-piece drill bit set for $11 (was $25) at Amazon
  • Kingtool 325-piece tool kit for $70 after coupon (was $110) at Amazon
  • Eastvolt 128-piece tool kit for $26 (was $30) at Amazon
  • Dekopro 228-piece tool kit for $80 (was $100) at Amazon
  • Strebito 142-piece electronics precision tool kit for $28 (was $38) at Amazon
  • 61-piece electronics precision tool kit for $13 after coupon (was $14) at Amazon
  • 115-piece magnetic electronics precision tool kit for $11 after coupon (was $12) at Amazon
  • 24-piece precision tool kit for $6 (was $9) at Amazon

Robot appliances and vacuums

  • Narwal Free robot vacuum and mop combo with dock for $950 after coupon (was $1,400) at Amazon
  • Piper cordless robotic pool cleaner for $750 (was $900) at Amazon
  • Roborock Q5 robot vacuum for $300 (was $430) at Roborock
  • Roborock Q5+ robot vacuum and dock for $480 (was $700) at Roborock
  • Roborock Dyad wet-dry vacuum cleaner for $400 (was $450) at Roborock
  • Roborock S8 robot vacuum and mop combo for $600 (was $750) at Roborock
  • Roborock S7 MaxV robot vacuum and mop combo for $540 (was $860) at Roborock

Smart home accessories

  • 10-pack home wall outlet receptacle with USB-A and USB-C ports for $85 (was $100) at Amazon
  • TP-Link Deco X95 AX7800 Wi-Fi 6 mesh router 2-pack for $400 (was $450) at Amazon
  • TP-Link Deco X20 Wi-Fi 6 mesh router 3-pack for $160 (was $250) at Amazon
  • TP-Link Deco S4 Wi-Fi 5 mesh router 3-pack for $110 (was $150) at Amazon
  • TP-Link Deco M5 Wi-Fi 5 mesh router 3-pack for $140 (was $190) at Amazon

Kitchen and home gadgets for summer

  • Frigidaire countertop ice maker for $102 (was $130) at Amazon
  • Ninja TWISTi blender for $110 (was $140) at Amazon
  • Masticating juicer for $95 (was $135) at Amazon
  • Tornado 460 small room fan for $45 (was $50) at Amazon

Smart pet accessories

  • Meowing self-cleaning smart cat litter box for $355 after coupon (was $500) at Amazon
  • Petlibro automatic pet feeder for $160 after coupon (was $200) at Amazon
  • Wopet automatic pet feeder for $90 (was $110) at Amazon

Smartwatches, wearables, and fitness trackers

  • Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro 45 mm for $400 (was $450) at Best Buy
  • Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro LTE 45 mm for $430 (was $500) at Best Buy
  • Garmin Taxtix 7 Pro Ballistics Edition Solar Powered 47mm for $1,543 (was $1,600) at Best Buy
  • Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar 45mm for $450 (was $550) at Best Buy
  • Garmin Vivosmart 4 activity tracker for $90 (was $100) at Best Buy
  • Amazfit Bip 3 Pro smartwatch 42.9mm for $60 (was $70) at Best Buy
  • Amazfit GTR3 35.3mm smartwatch for $150 (was $180) at Best Buy
  • Amazfit T-Rex Pro smartwatch for $140 (was $160) at Best Buy
  • Amazfit GTS 3 44.4mm smartwatch for $150 (was $180) at Best Buy

Cables, chargers, and cord management

  • AINOPE 100 W 6.6-feet braided USB-C to USB-C cable (2-pack) for $13 (was $18) at Amazon
  • Geekera 100 W USB-C 4-port GaN wall charger for $24 after coupon (was $50) at Amazon
  • 100 W 8-in-1 wireless charging station for $56 after coupon (was $80) at Amazon
  • Baseus PowerCombo 65 W USB-C charging station for $31 after coupon (was $50) at Amazon
  • Alxum 100 W 4-port GaN wall charger for $46 after coupon (was $50) at Amazon
  • UGreen 100 W charging station and power strip for $77 (was $130) at Amazon
  • 192-piece cable management for $15 (was $20) at Amazon
  • 60-piece cable clip for $8 (was $10) at Amazon
  • 100-piece cable ties for $7 (was $14) at Amazon
  • Cable raceway kit (5-pack) for $20 (was $26) at Amazon
  • 100-piece multi-color cable ties for $6 (was $14) at Amazon
  • 20-piece silicone cable ties for $10 after coupon (was $11) at Amazon

Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.

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US doctors are rationing lifesaving cancer drugs amid dire shortage

The shortage could lead to preventable deaths, and it’s unclear when it will end.

A pharmacy technician holds up a dose of paclitaxel and carboplatin to be verified before being delivered to the patient.

Enlarge / A pharmacy technician holds up a dose of paclitaxel and carboplatin to be verified before being delivered to the patient. (credit: Getty | Richard Lautens)

For cancer patients in the US right now, a horrifying reality may follow the devastating diagnosis—their malignant disease may go undertreated or even untreated.

The country is in the grips of a dire shortage of cheap, generic platinum-based cancer drugs used to treat various cancers in hundreds of thousands of US patients each year—patients with lung, breast, bladder, ovarian, testicular, endometrial, and head and neck cancers, and others.

Despite being in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, US doctors are being forced to ration the cisplatin and carboplatin drugs. That means prioritizing cancer patients who have a shot at being cured over patients at later stages, in whom the drugs may simply slow progression and buy time. Still, those with curable cancers may not get a full dose; some may only have 80 percent or 60 percent of standard doses available to them. And doctors don't know how these partial doses will affect patient outcomes.

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Green electricity won’t help with pollution disparities

US minorities are exposed to more pollution. Most climate plans don’t change that.

Image of exhaust coming out of the tailpipe of a bus.

Enlarge (credit: dpullman / Getty Images)

In the US, minorities are exposed to higher pollution levels than other populations. This is at least partly explained by the fact that we tend to build things like power plants and freeways in low-income neighborhoods, which is also where minorities tend to live. The shift away from fossil fuel use can potentially lower the burden on minorities, shuttering fossil fuel plants and reducing the number of vehicles that burn fuel.

A new analysis on decarbonization's effects on pollution shows that minorities will see their exposure fall. But it indicates that minorities are likely to still be disproportionately affected unless we specifically focus on reducing their exposure.

Exposure

Burning fossil fuels releases a variety of pollutants into the environment. Chief among these are particulates; one category alone (PM 2.5) is estimated to lead to 100,000 premature deaths annually in the US. Before their death, people are often saddled with extensive health costs and lost productivity.

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The Atlantic tropics are on fire—it already looks like August out there

Tropical Storm Bret has formed, and Cindy may not be far behind. It’s June.

A satellite image taken on Wednesday afternoon shows the "African wave train" out in force.

Enlarge / A satellite image taken on Wednesday afternoon shows the "African wave train" out in force. (credit: NOAA)

To put it mildly, there are some extremely disturbing trends happening on planet Earth with its weather and climate right now.

For example, the thickness and extent of the Antarctic sea ice is off-the-charts low. Based on current measurements, taken near the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, the sea ice extent is far below any previous year for which data is available, going back to 1981. The current extent is two standard deviations below the mean.

Closer to where I live, in Texas, the state is sweltering due to a dome of anomalously high pressure situated over northern Mexico and the southern part of the Lone Star State. This has been pushing temperatures to record highs across the state. On June 18, for example, the border town of Del Rio recorded a high of 111° Fahrenheit, smashing its old record for the day by 5°.

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Apple releases visionOS SDK to developers and details testing process

Dev kits, in-person labs, and more will enable developing for unreleased gear.

Today, Apple announced the imminent availability of the visionOS software development kit, which will allow app developers to begin working on apps for the company's upcoming Vision Pro mixed reality headset.

Developers will use frameworks like SwiftUI, RealityKit, and ARKit to make augmented or mixed reality apps while working with tools previously used in Mac and iOS development, like Apple's Xcode IDE, Simulator, and TestFlight.

Tools like these can be used either to develop new spatial apps for Vision Pro or to adapt iPhone or iPad apps to be used as windows within the Vision Pro's interface.

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Apple releases visionOS SDK to developers and details testing process

Dev kits, in-person labs, and more will enable developing for unreleased gear.

Today, Apple announced the imminent availability of the visionOS software development kit, which will allow app developers to begin working on apps for the company's upcoming Vision Pro mixed reality headset.

Developers will use frameworks like SwiftUI, RealityKit, and ARKit to make augmented or mixed reality apps while working with tools previously used in Mac and iOS development, like Apple's Xcode IDE, Simulator, and TestFlight.

Tools like these can be used either to develop new spatial apps for Vision Pro or to adapt iPhone or iPad apps to be used as windows within the Vision Pro's interface.

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After porn-y protest, Reddit ousted mods; replacing them isn’t simple

Replacement volunteers have big shoes to fill.

In this photo illustration, a woman's silhouette holds a smartphone with the Reddit logo in the background.

Enlarge (credit: Getty)

After threatening to do so last week, Reddit has now removed the moderators of some of the subreddits that were protesting Reddit's new API pricing scheme. Some of these subreddits have new mods in the protesters' place, while other affected subreddits have been left unmoderated. Still others, oddly, saw their moderators reinstated.

Reddit claims the moves are a response to mods breaking its Moderator Code of Conduct by allowing "not safe for work" (NSFW) content in previously "safe for work" subreddits. However, moderators who spoke to Ars Technica believe Reddit's actions are designed to silence their protests over the new fees.

Mod status revoked

Various Reddit moderators reached out to Ars Technica this week, informing us that mods for r/Celebrities, r/interestingasfuck, r/mildlyinteresting, r/self, r/ShittyLifeProTips, and r/TIHI have been removed. Other subreddits are reportedly affected, too, including r/toyota, r/garmin, and r/IllegalLifeProTips. All of the communities recently started allowing NSFW content as a form of API pricing protest.

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After porn-y protest, Reddit ousted mods; replacing them isn’t simple

Replacement volunteers have big shoes to fill.

In this photo illustration, a woman's silhouette holds a smartphone with the Reddit logo in the background.

Enlarge (credit: Getty)

After threatening to do so last week, Reddit has now removed the moderators of some of the subreddits that were protesting Reddit's new API pricing scheme. Some of these subreddits have new mods in the protesters' place, while other affected subreddits have been left unmoderated. Still others, oddly, saw their moderators reinstated.

Reddit claims the moves are a response to mods breaking its Moderator Code of Conduct by allowing "not safe for work" (NSFW) content in previously "safe for work" subreddits. However, moderators who spoke to Ars Technica believe Reddit's actions are designed to silence their protests over the new fees.

Mod status revoked

Various Reddit moderators reached out to Ars Technica this week, informing us that mods for r/Celebrities, r/interestingasfuck, r/mildlyinteresting, r/self, r/ShittyLifeProTips, and r/TIHI have been removed. Other subreddits are reportedly affected, too, including r/toyota, r/garmin, and r/IllegalLifeProTips. All of the communities recently started allowing NSFW content as a form of API pricing protest.

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