In the two years following the unification of Germany in 1989, the num

We need to reason as to why for 40% increase in Number of cars owned by residents of EG and 40% increase in Distance traveled by Cars in EG, the increase number of EG residents killed each year as in car occupants in TA increased by 300%...

A. The average number of passengers per car was higher in the years before unification than it was in the two years after.------>This should let us believe that number of deaths prior to unification should have been higher if any thing

B. After unification, many people who had been living in East Germany relocated to West Germany.----> People moving to WG means lesser population in EG but does not reason why increase in fatalities to the tune of 300%

C. After unification, a smaller proportion of the cars being purchased by East German residents were used vehicles.-----> A smaller proportion was used cars so...people using those cars may not have the necessary safety equipments on the car...but they are smaller portion (But what is small???We need to know how man cars are there and so on...Too many assumotions) and we are bothered with only car occupants...So C can be ruled out

D.Says....Drivers who had driven a little or not at all accounted for much of the increase...There is a possibility that the new drivers not familiar with laws or new cars on offer which resulted on more accidents and higher fatalities ....Looks Good

E. Over the same two-year period in East Germany, other road users, such as motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, experienced only small increases in traffic fatalities.---------> We are not bothered about these group....We are concerned only with Car owners..

D is best

Pre-think - Increase in accidents is significantly higher than the total distance traveled by residents of East Germany and than the increase in the number of cars. There must be some disadvantage added after the unification of Germany. This disadvantage could be irregular roads, unfamiliar traffic, lacks of driver skills etc.

Option A - does not bridge the discrepancy.
Option B - Out of Scope. We need to talk about people who travel from East to West Germany.
Option C - This helps a little. Keep this for now. A smaller number of old cars which can be the reason of road accidents.
Option D - This seems helpful. Most of the travelers who are less experienced contribute to the larger road accidents.
Option E - Out of Scope.

Hence, Option D is the correct answer.

Consider Kudos if this Helps!!

Thanks for your project PiyushK! Its a great idea to focus attention on official questions.

In the two years following the unification of Germany in 1989, the number of cars owned by residents of East Germany and the total distance traveled by cars in East Germany both increased by about 40 percent. In those two years, however, the number of East German residents killed each year as car occupants in traffic accidents increased by about 300 percent.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the disproportionate increase in traffic fatalities?

FACTS:
1) The number of cars and miles driven are both up 40%
2) However, the number of those killed increased by a whopping 300%

GOAL:
We need to explain how both of those facts could coexist. Specifically, we need an answer that could explain why the number of deaths could have risen so dramatically.

A. The average number of passengers per car was higher in the years before unification than it was in the two years after.
This answer would intensify the mystery. If anything, this answer would make it seem that the number of deaths should have decreased after unification.

B. After unification, many people who had been living in East Germany relocated to West Germany.
This could very well be true, but that would have no impact on resolving the mystery since we know that the number of cars and miles driven went up.

C. After unification, a smaller proportion of the cars being purchased by East German residents were used vehicles.
This answer offers no explanation at all why the number of deaths would have risen. Even if one were to assume that used cars are more dangerous, this answer says that a smaller proportion of used cars were purchased after unification.

D. Drivers who had driven little or not at all before 1989 accounted for much of the increase in the total distance traveled by cars.
Spot on! This answer gives us a reason why the number of deaths would have risen so dramatically. If more unskilled drivers started to appear on the road, and their time spent on the road accounted for much of the distance traveled, then that would explain the surge in deaths. New drivers scare me to this day.

E. Over the same two-year period in East Germany, other road users, such as motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, experienced only small increases in traffic fatalities.
This answer wouldn't even have any effect on other road users as a group, let alone those who have cars. This answer is out. It doesn't explain the mystery at all.

D is our answer.

% increase in cars and distance travelled increased by 40%; however, % increase in people killed in car accidents increased by 300%. We have to resolve the paradox

1st thought that came to my mind was that we don't know actual numbers (usually in problems dealing with % the answer has something to do with actual numbers). But let's see all options.

(A) The average number of passengers per car was higher in the years before unification than it was in the two years after. It is a weakening statement. If number of passengers were high before than the number or % would be high before unification.
(B) After unification, many people who had been living in East Germany relocated to West Germany. We are not talking about west germeny in question stem.
(C) After unification, a smaller proportion of the cars being purchased by East German residents were used vehicles. 'Smaller proportion' it was, not the large proportion.
(D) Drivers who had driven little or not at all before 1989 accounted for much of the increase in the total distance traveled by cars. Inexperienced drivers were driving the cars and that could be the reason for increased accidents.
(E) Over the same two-year period in East Germany, other road users, such as motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, experienced oney small increases in traffic. We are concerned about cars only

(A) average number of passengers per car = No of passengers / No of cars

If average was higher before unification then if an accident occurs the possibility of residents killed in an accident will be higher prior to unification.

So, this doesn't address the highlighted part ( Reason for increase in accidents threefold )

(B) Relocation of people can not be the cause of increase in vehicle owners and accidents.

(C) How does it matter whether the cars were new/used cars for increase in accidents.

(D) Increase in the boundaries of the country can be a reason for increaase in total distance travelled and inexperience of drivers can be the reason for rise in accidents.

(E) Data about fatalities of other vehicals is out of scope...

Hence IMHO (D)....

In the two years following the unification of Germany in 1989, the number of cars owned by residents of East Germany and the total distance traveled by cars in East Germany both increased by about 40 percent. In those two years, however, the number of East German residents killed each year as car occupants in traffic accidents increased by about 300 percent.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the disproportionate increase in traffic fatalities?


A. The average number of passengers per car was higher in the years before unification than it was in the two years after. -- Incorrect -- it deepens the paradox

B. After unification, many people who had been living in East Germany relocated to West Germany. - Irrelevant

C. After unification, a smaller proportion of the cars being purchased by East German residents were used vehicles. - Irrelevant

D. Drivers who had driven little or not at all before 1989 accounted for much of the increase in the total distance traveled by cars. - Correct -- this explains that after unification , unskilled drivers lead to an increase in total distance traveled and thus must have caused the increase in the number of accidents

E. Over the same two-year period in East Germany, other road users, such as motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, experienced only small increases in traffic fatalities. - Irrelevant

Answer D

A. The average number of passengers per car was higher in the years before unification than it was in the two years after.

This choice had the compared subjects wrong! It should be "...was higher when it was in the two years after than in the years before unification". Without that, A would be a perfect answer.

D. Drivers who had driven little or not at all before 1989 accounted for much of the increase in the total distance traveled by cars.

Since we are comparing the number of people died in car accidents before and after unification, there must be some reasons contributing to the cause of super high increase in deaths which is inconsistent with the comparatively lower increase in number of cars.

Before unification, most drivers were good at driving so there weren't many accidents. After unification, new drivers got new cars but these new drivers don't know how to drive safely, leading to higher number of accidents.

Nope!
Ａ）Even though the average number of car passengers per car decreases, the number of cars owned by resident of East German increases. Those passengers who previously did not own a car and shared a car now may own a car. Thus, the total number of passengers in East German may not decline even if the average number of car passengers per car decline, and therefore the number of residents in East German killed by car accidents as passenger may not decline.

Great explanation EMPOWERgmatAllenT. Question state In the two years following the unification of Germany in 1989...so is after 1989. However in D that is said before 1989. In that case is D still correct? or did I miss something? Could you help clarify? Thanks a bunch