Do you think that the carnage on our highways is caused by greedy irresponsible car companies?

Question

There has been 12 fatalies in Toronto highways this past weekend, most of which are caused by reckless driving, excessive speed, unsafe lane change etc. I noticed in the past year people are becoming more and more insane in their driving. Cutting off other cars and big rigs and going at close to double the speed limit. On one hand the police are trying hard to send the message that aggressive driving is unacceptable, while auto makers are selling cars using power and speed as the key selling point. The average sport car has more than 250+ horsepower with some high end ones having more than 300 to 400 horsepower. Is this really needed? And people who buy these cars, do you believe they are not going drive fast. The problems comes when egos meet as drivers who spent $ on their cars refuse to be topped by someone else and you have an instant street race. These auto makers are acting like arms dealer who sell machines of death just so they can maximize their profits.

Answer 1

While it seems your mind is already made up...maybe I can shed some light on the big picture, as you're only seeing what you want.

You seem to have the liberal mindset that the Person doesn't need to take responsibilty as they are the "victim" of Corporate "greed". Try to look at all the details, not just the ones that support your theory:

Of the 12 Fatalities...how many were not wearing seat belts?

How many were using Cell Phones or other distractions?

How many failed to check mirrors or look to see where other cars were?

How many were under the influence of Drugs or Alcohol?

The real problem here is education and respect (both lack there of). I don't know about Canada, but here in America, any fool who can read at a 5th grade level can get a DL. Behind-The-Wheel training in high school is very lack luster...they don't teach car control is emergency situations only 10&2, Speed limit, and Eyes Up. When I was sent off to get my DL, I still felt unsure, but I got the license. It wasn't until after my first skid in the rain that I knew I was still unprepaired. I took it upon myself to get better....working with experienced drivers, research, and a little "testing" on my own. 12 years later, I still take the time to learn dynamics of advanced driving...I'm much better then the average yahoo, but I wouldn't call myself perfect. I respect the Car, its power, its capabilities, how it can turn on you in a deadly way. The majority of drivers don't.

Look at Germany, home of the Autobahn. A road with (at certain points) no speed limits. Yet it has one of the best safety records in the world. Difference? Driver Education and Respect for the Car.

Also, lets take a quick history lesson. In the mid-70's, during the gas crisis. Unleaded Fuels were mandated and power levels dropped dramaticly. The 300-400 hp muscle cars struggled to make 200hp with the new fuel and catalytic converters. Guess what...highway deaths didn't decrease! Infact they still rose! Why? The number of poorly educated drivers rose...as it still raises today.

Answer 2

People are becoming more and more insane in their driving. You said it right there. It is attitude. I believe this driving habit comes from arcades - where you can drive at excessive speeds and if you hit someone, so what, the program resets itself and you continue. Accident and pain+grief are not in the same sentence.
Also, there is no G-forces to contend with, so they have no idea of what happens when they take a corner too sharp.
Auto manufacturers at fault for high horsepower machines? Yes and no. Anyone who wants to hop up their car and has some mechanical knowledge, can.
Besides I can do twice the speed limit in my little 60hp VW and it will kill me just as effectively as someone in a 300 hp machine.
But, I know what the pain feels like, so I don't.
I am not there to prove that my machine(or should I say the auto companies car is better than any other --THEY are not paying me to do that, so why should I?).

It is the only selling feature that they(the auto manufacturers) have left to entice you to buy their car over the other brands. The cars are all basically the same.

Answer 3

You`re wrong. 95%, that`s 19 out of 20 "accidents" are caused by "driver error", which is just a euphemism for gross stupidity. Whilst increased speed exacerbates the horrendous effects of a crash, the reason for the excess speed is the driver. Driver education is lacking: once a driver has passed the test, there is no further check on his driving ability for up to 45 years. If you wish to limit the speed of a vehicle, then you would have to fit speed limiters from new. But I don`t think that you will ever stop the motor industry making bigger, better, faster and more powerful cars.

Answer 4

I definately see your point, but I don't think the car makers are to blame. Cars are safer now than they've ever been. Even the least safe car being produced today is safer than most cars of only 10-15 years ago. Airbags, side airbags, ESP, crumple zones... the technology has come a long way.

Power can encourage people to drive fast...but people with lower-horsepower cars can drive fast too - it just takes them longer to get to that speed.

Another phenomenon that happens is as cars get safer, drivers become more confident so they drive worse.

A greater concern is that as cars get heavier and more powerfull, they burn more and more gas. Car companies should be more responsible about building more efficient cars. BUT...the only way that an automaker can stay in business is to build what people will buy. Car makers build cars the way they do because that's what people are demanding.

Answer 5

Well all across the United States traffic deaths have been down. Cars are now safer than ever and faster than ever. But it is up to the driver if it is safe to use the speed the car has. Sometimes like on a empty highway at 1am with good weather conditions I am not afriad to go 120mph but I am not going to do this on a busy highway or in rain etc.. People just need to know their limits. Its not the car companies fault its the drivers fault.

Answer 6

It is your fault, my fault and everybodies fault. Unfortunately human are going to do just about everything that can get away with. Driving fast is sometimes fun and it gets you from A to B faster. The only way that is going to change is if we change it. We need more police traffic patrols. We need stiffer fines and no ways to have them taken off your record. If you get to many tickets then you lose your right to drive. That is the only way that things will change for the better but most people would rather just have the ability to drive fast and just hope they are not one of the unlucky few that get injured or killed in car accidents every 5 min

Answer 7

No. As your own description of the situation in Toronto shows, drivers themselves and their own "greedy, irresponsible" behavior is at the root of most of the problem.

Having said that, you're right that many cars coming to market are much more powerful than what anyone needs for personal transportation. They're also wasteful and damaging in an environmental sense. Given our capitalist system, though, the companies will continue to make these cars as long as people will buy them. Just as the demand for SUVs is waning because of higher fuel prices, the demand for these over-powered cars will drop if there's some powerful market disincentive to drive them. Here's one: Taxing horsepower to pay for driver education programs and new hospital trauma centers.

Answer 8

In general, vehicle accidents are caused by irresponsible drivers. Having a super car is no reason to speed on public roadways, nor is the misuse of those vehicles the fault of the automobile manufacturers. Many people refuse to take responsibility for their own actions. Add this to the increase in the number of drivers, and the possibility of having an automobile accident increases dramatically.

Answer 9

All the stuff happening is due to the loose nut behind the wheel, not the car. An inanimate metal and plastic object does not think or do, it needs an idiot operator. Guns and cars and knives do not kill people, PEOPLE DO. As HAL9000, the interactive computer on 2001, A Space Oddesy said, "I'm sorry Dave, it must be a human error".

Answer 10

Not really. Of course, car companies could make safer vehicles but the cost would be passed down and I don't think many people want to pay twice as much for their vehicle. I believe irresponsible and reckless drivers are the main cause. Aside from these maniacs, this type of thing is just one of the many risks of life.