What's more important-Safer Cars or Better Drivers?
By ShepherdSpy
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
Omagh, Northern Ireland
February 6, 2012 5:40pm CST
Have you ever stepped back and realized Car safety and the technology built into them to keep us safe has gradually increased the size and weight of our vehicles over time..?
Compare the "Original" vehicle to bear a Model's Name and what is being sold with that same badge today..they may be double or more the weight and size of that original car,or your particular model may have been replaced in its range position by a larger or smaller model at some stage.
There was an opinion made that instead of cocooning us in airbags and Metal,we should be making Drivers more aware of how vulnerable we are as Living beings compared to our vehicles which can be repaired or readily replaced,while We cannot,that a SPIKE aimed at your chest poking from the centre of the steering wheel would drastically reduce road collisions,literally making a point of how easily we can be damaged..
Having made cars so safe,people driving them have been led to feel to an extent invulnerable to harm in a personal bubble of safety,that we can feel "safe" while flaunting the laws of Physics and indulging in road rage at others while doing stuff behind the wheel that has nothing to do with getting safely to our destinations..
How safe do you feel in Your Car? What's more important to You? Safety or Good Driving?
12 responses
@celticeagle (168595)
• Boise, Idaho
7 Feb 12
To be honest safety for me and those in my car and good driving on the behalf of the other drivers. I don't like the 'bubble of safety' and luckily my old model car doesn't have them. I don't usually think about the safety factor until something happens. I try to drive safely and hope that others around me do too.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
9 Feb 12
I still recall an item from one of the Driver's Ed books I read back in the day,that suggested you picture the car in front with a bumper sticker you could read that said "I'm going to stop-can You?" I try and keep that one in mind..
1 person likes this
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
20 Feb 12
That one I've actually seen on a bumper sticker!
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (168595)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Feb 12
That's a good one. Or in my case 'If you can read this you're too close'.
@Bluedoll (16773)
• Canada
7 Feb 12
I hear what you are saying, Nascar racing cars found a way to make cars safer and roads safer like barricades that absorb energy. They don't use air bags though. I think safety is excellent if it saves even one life. Does safety inventions make drivers better perhaps not.
I see winter driving affected by better cars and tires. People do not slow down if their car can go faster but when the weather really gets bad so they don't work - they sure do! Maybe the issue is not always safety though but insurance costs that affect driving. Not sure we can go back in time, the model 'A' Ford looks like a cute car to drive in but I don't think many people would be able to operate one anymore.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
7 Feb 12
A TV magazine Car show here in the UK,"Top Gear" had one of the Presenters go to a NASCAR event in Texas,where He got a guest Pace car driver position..and I recall one of the drivers telling him due to the power and weight of the cars,the brakes were pretty much an afterthought!
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
7 Feb 12
There was a crashworthiness comparison test made a while back with one of the huge old Caddies and a Modern car..While it seemed a crime to destroy one of those incredible old machines,the shape of the Caddy afterwards didn't give much confidence in driver survivability after a crunch compared to its newer successor...Even taking into account its age and condition..
@maezee (41988)
• United States
19 Feb 12
Better drivers of course! Because even with the safest car in the world, if you are a bad, inattentive, or reckless driver, you're going to wind up getting yourself in trouble and hurt - and probably others along with you, as well. Having a safe car is always a good thing, but I feel like the person behind the wheel is a more important factor.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
20 Feb 12
So long as the person driving is bearing safety in mind,rather than banking on the car's safety features to protect themselves..
@digidogo (444)
• Philippines
7 Feb 12
In my opinion, both are adequately important. If we do not have safe cars then good driving would not matter. If we do not have good drivers, still safe cars do no help. In today's generation, it seems like they are putting too much into cars. They were alot safer when they were simplier. Adding in all those technology increased the margin for error. All those extra gadget and equipments make man more vulnerable as they tend to get too confident in driving thinking that it would save them. We also need good drivers, those who respect the traffic laws and other vehicles. Some get too cocky because their vehicles is of larger size compared to other vehicles. Others just think they are following the rules in their interpretation. Overall, both factors play their part in making the road safe.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
9 Feb 12
There must be a line somewhere between simplicity and over complicated in car design and features that doesn't hinder or distract the driver,causing them to focus more on what's going on inside than outside..
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
20 Feb 12
2 cars I have in mind when considering how some cars have changed..the Original British "Mini",and the more recent BMW built Homage to it-although not the same car,the evolution from one to the other illustrates the passage of time..the other one would be the original VW Golf (the "Rabbit",in the US?) this car has evolved so much,the small "Lupo" city car brought in below the Golf is more comparable to the original Golf GTi in it's hot version..
@Oblivion605 (16)
•
6 Feb 12
Good driving, hands down. In a perfect world, where people were good drivers, we wouldn't need all the fancy technology they have now. Don't get me wrong, it's great that we have it, but I agree with you. People have a false sense of security in their car so they think that they can do whatever they want.
I personally feel pretty safe in my car simply because it's a big, old truck. If I get into an accident... I'm going to win.
The safety features new cars have are great, but I prefer to have a vehicle that will still run after an accident instead of turning into a crumpled piece of crap.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
7 Feb 12
There's a quote I like to bear in mind from airline safety that could be applied as well to cars..any landing you can walk away from is a good one..
@ElicBxn (63644)
• United States
7 Feb 12
I like a safe car, but I like even more a good driver.
I admit I've had a few accidents... but most haven't been my fault... (unless being cute and being waved at by the guy behind me just before he hits me is some how my fault... I was much younger then)
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
9 Feb 12
I'm flashing back to Salma Hayek causing a crash at an intersection while walking through town in the movie "Desperado" from your post..but being able to cause the guy in the car behind you to have a fender bender -now THAT'S talent!
@beamer88 (4259)
• Philippines
7 Feb 12
I've been thinking the same thing. The more we enhance the safety features of our car, the more drivers get bold and sometimes reckless. This features may really had lulled them in a fall sense of invulnerability. Although it's really great that car manufacturers are focusing more on the safety features of the vehicle, I still feel that without good and proper driving skills, these are all for naught. Like they say, tools (or cars for this matter) don't cause accidents. It's the people who use (or drive) them :)
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
9 Feb 12
Yep...it's said the most important nut in a car is that one behind the wheel!
@Archaiwy (599)
• China
7 Feb 12
Both safer cars and better drivers are critical conditions.But better drivers are more important,as it is the driver who controls the car in any cases.Usually accidents happen when the driver is tired or drunk or sleepy .Safer cars can save the driver's life but can not avoid accidents. Better drivers can avoid accidents in advance,in case the car has faults.So the driver plays an important role in any accident and so the driver should take care when he is on the road at any time.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
9 Feb 12
Yep,it's definitely a 2 way street...both car and driver play a part in staying safe,but some drive as though the car gives them superpowers...
@Rochaten (166)
• Portugal
29 Feb 12
I think the best it's to drive with safety. In my case I only drive fast if three conditions are met: 1- im lonely in the car; 2- no one its in the road; 3- im late...
If one of thats conditions don t met i prefer arrive late, "that arrive faster to hospital or heaven". The car don't make the driver safe,BUT THE DRIVER CAN MAKE THE CAR SAFE
@cash4cards (140)
• United States
7 Feb 12
Better drvers hands down. most cars are very safe. the problem is disracted drving.
no ones innocent..some r doin makeup..talkin or worse textng...while people like me r thinkin
planning thier day..what they did..what they gotta do the order they r gona do it in...lol its not funny
but we all need to be more fo focused. i feel very safe in my durango. i was in a bad accident a few
yrs back. had i been in a car it woulda killed me. i walked away with Airbag burns. not to bad i will
never have a small car again so i feel very safe in my suv
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
9 Feb 12
good to hear the safety features work when needed..my concern with starting this discussion was that with people feeling safer in a bigger vehicle,there's then always gonna be something bigger again out there coming along soon,(both literally and figuratively.. )
@jethdale (156)
• Philippines
7 Feb 12
a good driving incorporates everything. of course, you won't just keep on driving without knowing the status of you car. if the car in unsafe, then surely a good driver would never drive that car. A driver who doesn't check cars before driving is not really a good driver
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
9 Feb 12
A driver can put too much faith in their car...sometimes,you also need to put in some maintenance!
