LSAT 145 – Section 4 – Question 19

LSAT 145 - Section 4 - Question 19

December 2015

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT145 S4 Q19
+LR
Weaken +Weak
Causal Reasoning +CausR
A
62%
166
B
1%
154
C
7%
163
D
29%
161
E
1%
154
147
158
170
 +Harder 148.528 +SubsectionMedium

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Cookie Cutters
73.4.03
68.3.01
64.1.13
57.3.18
55.3.09
39.2.05
25.4.24

Studies have shown that pedestrians are struck by cars when crossing streets in crosswalks more often than they are struck when crossing outside of crosswalks. This is because crosswalks give many pedestrians an overly strong sense of security that oncoming cars will follow the signals, and these pedestrians are less likely to look both ways before crossing the street.

Summarize Argument
Pedestrians are more often struck by cars when crossing streets with crosswalks rather than without crosswalks. This is because crosswalks make pedestrians feel safe, which in turn makes them less likely to look both ways before crossing.

Notable Assumptions
Based on a mere correlation, the author concludes that the effects of crossing in crosswalks—less attention to traffic, feelings of safety— cause pedestrians to be struck by cars more often than when they’re crossing without crosswalks. This means the author doesn’t believe that crosswalks are in inherently more dangerous places (i.e. roads with high traffic and blind spots), or that crosswalks cause drivers to drive more dangerously than they would otherwise. The author also assumes an equal distribution of pedestrians crossing with crosswalks versus without crosswalks.

A
The overwhelming majority of pedestrians in high-traffic areas cross streets in crosswalks.
The author confuses “more likely” with “more often.” Of course pedestrians are “more often” struck when crossing in crosswalks. That’s how the vast majority of pedestrians cross streets in high-traffic areas.
B
The number of pedestrians struck by cars has increased in recent years.
We don’t care about how things have changed over time. We care about why pedestrians are more often struck in crosswalks.
C
Pedestrians tend to underestimate the chances that the signals at a crosswalk will malfunction.
We have no idea how often this happens, or what the safety effects of this are. Perhaps this only causes a negligible uptick in pedestrians being struck by cars.
D
Drivers are generally most alert to pedestrians who are in or near crosswalks.
Given that cars are driving more attentively than usual, suggests pedestrians are being careless as the author claims.
E
Measures intended to promote safety tend to make people less cautious.
Crosswalks are one such measure. This supports the author’s argument.

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LSAT PrepTest 145 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Reading Comprehension

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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