Car crashes or traffic crashes are among the 10 biggest killers in the world. Human life is a fragile thing indeed, and there are simply way too many crashes happening right now. In the time that it takes you to make breakfast every morning, hundreds of people are killed in crashes around the world.
This is truly astounding, because the number of crash related deaths in the world are more than those in natural disasters. In fact, more people died of traffic crashes in 2015 than the number of military casualties in the Vietnam War.
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What makes cars the killers they are?
You may have heard the phrase “when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object”. Thinking about this statement, your imagination is probably running wild. What happens when the two meet? You must be thinking complete and utter destruction.
This is exactly what goes down in a car crash. Two heavy objects made purely out of glass and metal are rushing towards each other at speeds in excess of 60 mph. If, and when, they collide, the world as we know it is going to be torn apart in seconds. Humans seem to love speeding, which means that we are only putting ourselves even more at risk.
Why can’t cars be made safer?
This isn’t possible mainly because it isn’t the car that is to blame for the crash: it is the driver. The way people drive in the present day makes you feel like human beings were never intended to be behind the wheel of anything faster than a turtle.
We are the main cause of crashes, not our cars. As much as people love blaming the crashes that they see on technical faults (and then suing the car companies) the fact of the matter is that humanity is very bad indeed at driving.
However, cars CAN be made safer in the modern world because of the advances in technology. This is done with one very simple fix: eliminate the human behind the wheel. This is exactly what is being done by companies like Google with their self-driving, computer programmed cars.
The causes of most traffic crashes
There are many things that can lead to a traffic crash. Most of these don’t involve speeding as much as they do simple recklessness. In fact, most of the crashes that happen in the world are caused due to one or more drivers not being in any state at all to drive anywhere.
DUIs
Drunk driving is one of the biggest causes of death by traffic crash. If you are in a country notorious for drunk drivers it would be safer for you to stay indoors all night. You do not want to get mowed down by some idiot who kept yelling, “DUDE, I’M NOT THAT WASTED” before stumbling into the wheel.
DUI or Driving under the Influence is something that way too many people around the world do. It doesn’t matter whether all you have drunk is one mug of beer. It is still alcohol, which means that it is still going to severely impair your judgement, whether you know it or not.
The worst part is that a drunk driver can’t distinguish between the people walking on the road. Over 200 children in the U.S. under the age of 14 were killed in 2013 by people who were driving under the influence of alcohol. By all rights, the “blood alcohol level limit” should be taken off the rule books, and all drunk drivers should be thrown in jail, where they belong.
Drug abuse
In the U.S., marijuana was recently legalized in a few states. This has led to a lot more people driving around under the influence of cannabis. While it isn’t as lethal as alcohol, it does cause a certain numbing of your senses. This in turn can lead to traffic crashes.
Trying to be “cool”
This is actually a bigger killer than you think. A lot of people try to drive without the proper safety measures like a seatbelt. They don’t believe that these are important because “we’re only going round the corner!” This is the worst mindset that people can have and is far more prevalent amongst teenagers.
The risk of getting killed in the event of a crash is almost tripled when you drive without wearing a seatbelt. The rules of the road exist for a reason, and it isn’t because your government wants to turn you into mind controlled sheeple. This appears to be a common saying amongst the youth of the modern day.
Driving tired
Driving while tired is going to be more dangerous to you than you know. You can’t expect to go long distances while exhausted and not fall asleep. It is a reflex of the body to make your brain take micro-naps when you haven’t slept in a while. If this happens on the road, your car could be squashed on the front of a rig in 2 seconds flat.
Distracted driving
Ever seen someone driving while talking on the phone or *shudder* texting? This is one of the biggest killers out there, and you are going to be in a lot of risk if you are someone who does this. It is most common among teenagers and young adults.
Distracted driving will most likely kill you because you are almost never focused on the road. This means that you simply won’t see the headlights heading towards you. Your brain will not hear the horn blasting as your doom zooms your way.
The risk you take on a daily basis
Every day, stepping out on the street anywhere in the world is taking a huge risk. You could easily get knocked down and hurt or even killed by some careless <insert synonym for “donkey”> who has not taken the right amount of care. The infographic below will show you, in cold, harsh numbers, exactly how at risk you are of being crippled or killed in a traffic crash in your country.
Maybe this will help you realize that it is a very serious issue, and that by taking the steps to drive safer, you will begin to contribute to making the world a safer place for everyone.
1 thought on “Your Risk of Getting Injured (or Killed) in a Traffic Crash”
Hello,
I’m an English lecturer at Ono college, Israel. I would like to use this article as a learning tool in my lessons.
Could I have your permission to use it in class?
Thank You in advance,
Sincerely,
Miri Yigal
English Lecturer.