Quantcast
Channel: Restless Urbanist » Cars
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 4

Safer Driving?!

0
0

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADriving is the most dangerous thing that you can do in public. Automobile accidents are the largest cause of death of children. This number is so large, it surpasses the next three causes of deaths combined. Driving is legal, it is regulated and subsidized by the government, and it is an encouraged activity by numerous agencies and organizations.

You are actually expected to crash your car. The car companies have installed safety features to deploy when the inevitable happens. You are required to pay for insurance so you can pay when the inevitable happens. The built world is regulated to allow you the adequate space for the investable crash. The world is built not on the premise of If, but on a premise of When.

Congress is now under pressure to require back up cameras in all new cars. The argument makes a lot of sense. Too many senseless death occur when cars are backing up, so a camera provides a rear look to assist drivers.

This could be the next safety advancement to rival the seatbelt, but is really the best way to make driving safer? I saw no. No technology, no matter how high tech, can abolish stupidity.

Before we propose another expensive feature the car, I suggest we take the first step to increase the requirements to drive a car. My driving test was comprised of a multiple choice test that took 15 minutes to complete and you only had to get 70% of the questions right. Following the written test and a few weeks of companion chaperoned driving, I had a 20 minute driving test. In less then an hour of examination, I had the right to drive a one ton piece of steel filled with 15 gallons of volatile gas down a public street. Now, when I need to renew my license, I can go to a website and get a new one in the mail.

Before we propose another gadget for a car, I think we need to raise the bar on driving in this Country. Better drivers will lead to safer driving. We really need to demand better before we allow someone to drive one ton of steel on our public streets.

Driving is not a right it is a privilege.

Restless Urbanist - Dedicated to the topic of urbanism


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 4

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images