by Walter Grace

Created on: April 07, 2009

Today's consumer vehicles are quieter and arguably more comfortable to drive than they ever have been. My first car was a 1977 Oldsmobile Delta 88, a family luxury car with all the options. Today, my bare-bones Dodge has cup holders and a GPS, and a growing number of cars and trucks have television in the driver's area. There are even some high-end luxury cars that can parallel park themselves (this is in spite of the fact that form of parking is one of the easiest if know the right way to do it, but this is for another article). Drivers have been lulled into the perception that cars are easier to drive and safety systems, such as anti-lock brakes, air bags and stability control will help keep them out of trouble.

The fact is that driving is a very dangerous undertaking. Think about it for a minute. If a prizefighter lets his or her guard down, their opponent will probably knock them out. If a receiver isn't paying attention to his team mates and opponents, he or she will miss a pass and possibly cost them the game. A driver in one moment of inattention can start a chain of events which may affect dozens of lives. When I'm driving and someone is following so close I can't see their front tires, weaving in and out of lanes of traffic, blowing traffic signals, driving too slow, that person is most likely talking on a cell phone.

While pulling over to place a call, (or better yet, waiting until you're in a parking lot with the car in park) takes a little more time, it can save you thousands of dollars of damage and injury claims against you. Not to mention the sleepless nights and the knowledge your driving injured or killed someone. While a hands-free device is a good idea, it is not a panacea for paying attention. People too engaged in a conversation with a passenger, a double cheeseburger, or trying to cope with a screaming baby can get in a crash just as easily as a driver on a cell phone. In Germany, for instance, those who drive spend at least $2000 on a driver's license and there are no cup holders. In Brazil, few cars have automatic transmission and air-conditioning, much less the other options we take for granted. It is probably one of the worst countries in the world to drive. Because of the environment, there is no false sense of security because the roads are utter chaos. My father-in-law is 74 years young and he admits driving there takes all of your mental faculties.

Driving is a full time job when getting behind the wheel. Laws cannot prevent bad driver behavior. Only a change in our culture can help prevent driving mishaps that too often end in tragedy.

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