Name: Grace Hicks
From: weymouth, Massachusetts
Votes: 0
Are
Cars More Deadly Than War?
By:
Grace Hicks
Cars
and other motor vehicles have existed since the 20th century, with
millions of people owning them worldwide. Everyday, one can see cars
gliding down city streets with their occupants in tow, heading
towards their destination. Why are cars so common? This is due to the
fact that thousands of Americans utilize cars and other motor
vehicles as a form of transportation both to and from work, school,
appointments, and other obligations that may require a form of
transportation other than walking. Since cars are the most widely
used type of motor vehicle, they will be the subjects of this essay.
Cars
are extremely complicated and powerful, with a plethora of moving
parts and an immense mass that could inflict massive amounts of
damage. This is why one must pass a series of tests in order to
operate one. While car ownership requirements vary by state, in
Massachusetts youth must pass a permit test, take and pass driver’s
ed, complete driving hours, and then pass the driver’s test.
Despite all of these requirements, over 35,000 people die each year
due to car accidents. That is more than the deaths of american
soldiers each year in the Vietnam War! Many die due to operating
under the influence of drugs or alcohol, others are victims of one
who was under the influence. Others may die due to rough weather
conditions, texting, or distractions that prevent the driver from
concentrating on the road.
Drivers
should be thoroughly educated on all of the above matters and
stricter regulations should be put in place so that drivers may be
deterred from committing any of the above acts. For example, the
drivers ed curriculum should have a heavy focus on the
consequences of texting and being under the influence when operating
a motor vehicle. In addition to this, the government can implement
new laws that enforce stricter consequences for these actions. This
may deter people from operating a vehicle while under the influence
or text instead of talking on the phone. If the public were to become
more educated on the matter and know the consequences of performing
these actions, then they will be less likely to commit them. This
would hopefully lead to less fatalities on the road and allow for
everyone to be safe while driving. I have an aunt that could benefit
from this. She has recently lost her license for life due to her
drinking while driving. I believe that if she had had a better
education on the dangers of drinking and driving, then maybe she
would still have her license. Now, she must rely on family members
and the bus in order to get to places, which is very inconvenient.
So, the government should offer more public resources on the issues
mentioned above and enforce stricter regulations in order to have
more safe drivers on the road.