The recent mechanical problem in some of Toyota’s models has subjected the company to much scrutiny by the media. While some motor vehicle accidents and deaths are caused by mechanical failure, the media dramatically inflated the problem and transferred the blame from human error to mechanical failure.

There have been 15 deaths as a result of Toyota’s sudden acceleration problem according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration while in 2008 there were over 35,000 deadly car accidents- most of which were caused by human error. With only a small fraction of deaths resulting from mechanical failure the Medias push for greater safety features does not adequately address our problems on the road.

While advancing safety features and improving automobile safety and air bag efficiency is great we should be working on a proactive approach- preventing the accidents before they occur. In order to curb the 6+ million accidents occurring each year we need to change the attitude Americans have behind the wheel. Most drivers in the United States consider themselves good drivers, and presume that they are not a hazard on the road. A survey taken by the Washington Post clarifies this attitude problem… most of those polled believed there should be laws prohibiting text messaging and e-mailing while driving. And of those who believe these laws are necessary 25% admitted to engaging in this type of behavior behind the wheel.

Considering that the vast majority of auto accidents are caused by driver error it appears to be a common sense notion to focus more on driver safety than car safety. Laws have helped decrease the drunk driving problem and new laws appear to be easing the texting while driving epidemic, but obviously the laws fall flat with some individuals as these continue to be problems. This is where concerned groups such as MADD (Mothers Against Distracted Driving) and TADD (Teens Against Distracted Driving) come into play. These groups take a proactive stance- talking to people about how driving under the influence or while distracted by a cell phone has massive consequences. By reaching out to people on a personal level and showing them the consequences: death and severe injuries, the groups help prevent distracted and drunken driving incidents and save lives.

These groups focus on the correct issue: driver safety over vehicle safety. MADD has been reducing drunk driving incidents for 30 years and though TADD is a newer group it is quickly moving forward to end cell phone use while driving. Maybe with the help of these groups we can make the drivers a little safer and feel more secure in our cars without an airbag occupying every nook and cranny.