Freedom to Fail

Freedom is the ability for a person to act as they want without hindrance or restraint. When read or spoken this word often displays an image of a bald eagle soaring through the sky or an American flag waving in the wind in my mind. Freedom is always a good thing, right? Up until recent events, the last thing I would think of when someone mentions 'freedom' is 'car crash'.  Yes, the package of self-rule comes with an ugly bow of responsibility that is often tossed out when the gift is received.

According to road crash statistics, nearly 1.3 million people die in road crashes each year. That is a total average of 3,287 deaths a day! Road crashes are the leading cause of death among young people ages 15-29. Everyone can agree that car accidents are tragic and we want to prevent them.  The real question is: "what can we do to actually reduce wrecks?"

Will regulation prevent car collisions? We all know there is an excess amount of restrictions for drivers. Abiding by these laws are simple enough but that does not necessarily mean we follow them. When was the last time you went over the speed limit or answered a text while driving? I am not trying to guilt-trip anyone. Reasons for breaking these seemingly irrelevant laws are justifiable. Maybe someone will speed to work in order to not lose their job or they will answer an important text while still on the road. It is the fact that breaking these safety rules seems innocent that makes distracted driving such a  dangerously common cause of injuries and death. Rules will always be broken when the value of breaking them at first seems to outweigh the cost.

Technology is a great way to minimize motor vehicle impact, right? After all, 90-93% of car crashes are caused by human error. Autonomous cars have already been created, they are just not street legal, yet. It seems that crashes will be nearly impossible when such advanced technology is in charge! Yet, we need to be reminded that it is humans that are developing these new technologies. Not only that, these new cars are also extremely expensive and will not be owned by the common driver.




Distracted driving is the number one cause of accidents on the road. A few months ago, my dad and older brother were involved in a car crash only to find out the lady who hit them was doing her makeup while driving. March 1, 2017, my mom and four younger siblings were rear-ended by someone not entirely paying attention to the backed up the highway. The day after, a friend of mine was also hit by a distracted driver. Thankfully, all of these people survived the crash, yet many cars were destroyed and my little sister is still in the hospital.

Will there ever be an end to driving accidents? The truth is, the roads will never be danger free because everyone is bound to break rules and make mistakes. Traffic will be the safest when people realize that their actions can affect other driver's lives. Of course, nobody intends for their texting while driving or reckless speeding to harm anyone, but by the time they are impacted enough to really learn that lesson a crash has already occurred. The high cost of cleanup, medical bills and lives simply are not worth it.