Comment 2664

By Ted Mitchell (registered) | Posted December 16, 2006 at 21:24:18

"A reader" has some very good points.

Despite the fact that 30% of fatalities are alcohol related, MADD actually has done well. In about 2/3rds of those fatals, the driver's BAC was over 0.15, that is almost twice the legal limit. That is slobbering, falling down drunk. Not the least bit capable of normal human civility, listening to friends or remembering something MADD put on the radio. If you want to do something effective about this group you need to be draconian and enlist friends, family, doctors and bartenders to start taking keys away for long periods of time.

I couldn't agree more that we are in a serious state of denial about the other 70%. But organizations like MADD could draw attention to this number a bit more often.

Distraction and inattention account for most of the 70%. Driving is easy; exceptional skill counts for almost nothing (the safety benefit is easily erased by slightly increased risk taking), but the task requires all of your attention all of the time. And driving as if those cyclists and pedestrians were your kids.

As for the psychological phenom of taking increasing risks since the vehicle and/or road is safer, this is probably a battle we will never win.

I've heard it suggested that instead of an airbag they should just put a big spike in the middle of the steering wheel.

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