More people feel safe walking alone at night

Despite high-profile violence underway in the world, daily experience tells a different story. A global Gallup survey late last year found that more people around the globe felt safe walking alone at night in their city or neighborhood than at any time since Gallup began tracking this in 2006.

At 73 percent, this share was 13 percentage points higher than a decade earlier.

These people are not wrong. Murder rates have fallen all over the world – by about a quarter since 2000. And murder tends to track other violent crimes closely. Lonely walks at night really are safer. And not just from crime. Traffic deaths also have been dropping in most developed countries, offset by the rising number of cars – and hence car accidents – in developing countries. The global fatality rate continues to decline.

One factor in both trends: the global decline in alcohol consumption, especially by young adults.

Source: Gallup; Vox; Tastingtable.com