I’ve seen a lot of car accidents in the news these last few weeks. Just the other day two young adults were killed in a rollover accident. No one volunteers to play Russian Roulette but that is exactly what happens every time someone gets behind the wheel of a car. In my opinion, in order to keep people safer while they are driving, there needs to be more education, smarter cars, and less speed.
First of all, people need to be better educated about the vehicles they buy. Automobile dealerships do not cater to the customers’ needs. The dealerships’ main concern is to get the customer in a car and on their way as fast as possible. It should be mandatory for all dealerships to teach the customer some of the basic skills they’ll need to properly maintain the vehicle they are purchasing – such as proper tire pressure, what to do when the check engine light comes on, or how to change a fuse when the tail lights go out. Indeed, these are very basic things to learn. Yet, if not fixed, can prove very fatal.
Next, make a smarter car. Sure, they already have a smart car that can apply the brakes when something runs into its path. Yet, why not make that car even smarter? For example, give the smart car the ability to read a stop sign or a stop light. Then, the smart car would be able to stop on its own if the driver is distracted. Also, make a smart car that can read speed limit signs. This way, when a smart car is on a back road, or in a school zone, the car will not exceed the posted speed limit. Most importantly, how about a smart car that can sense when the driver is drunk or fatigued? Therefore, the vehicle would not start at all and no deadly accidents can happen.
Finally, stop making fast cars for public roads. The Chevy Camaro, Ford Mustang, and Dodge Challenger all come with an 8 cylinder engine and can produce up to 1500 horse power, and can go from 0 to 60 miles an hour in about 3.3 seconds. Plus, the Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang can reach speeds close to 200 miles an hour. Because of all the deadly accidents that are caused by speeding, automobile producers should be made to stop the production of all 8 cylinder engines.
Smarter people, smarter cars, and slow going are a few of the steps I would take to reduce the fatality rate in car accidents in the United States. If you remove the bullet from the gun, it is no longer Russian Roulette.
- This post is published as part of the Prison Op/Ed Project, an occasional series authored by CCRI sociology students who are incarcerated at the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institute. Read more here:
- ‘Prison Op/Ed Project’ teaches civic engagement, writing – Meghan Kallman
- Does racial injustice still exist? Look at our schools – Aaron Carpenter
- Rhode Island charges felons absurdly high court costs – Christopher Nemitz
- Public school students and inmates need more vocational training – Darnell Hie
- Prison policies put probation and vocational training at odds – Norman Johnson
- Corporate-modeled prison industrial complex doesn’t serve society – Adrian Rojas
- Incarceration is the new slavery – James Poston
- Justice isn’t blind with data-based sentencing – David Brown
- Ending welfare entitlements opened the door to disability fraud – Dan Davidson
- Post prison services would stem system’s revolving door – Michael Wheelock
- You’re vote doesn’t matter as much as your money – David Brown
- How schools emulate prisons, and prepare students for them – Richard Pimiental