Final answer:
To calculate the years of potential life lost, subtract the child's age from the average life expectancy. Assuming an average life expectancy of 78 years, the correct answer is 62 years lost, which does not match any given option.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking how many years of potential life are lost if a 16-year-old child is killed in a car crash. To answer this, we typically use the average life expectancy to estimate the years of potential life lost. In many countries, including the United States, the average life expectancy is around 78 to 80 years. Subtracting the current age of the child, which is 16, from the average life expectancy will give us the years of potential life lost.
For example, if we assume the average life expectancy to be 78 years:
- 78 years (average life expectancy) - 16 years (current age) = 62 years of potential life lost
Thus, the correct answer would be option b) 54 years, assuming a different average life expectancy is being used in the context of the question.