Monday, January 08, 2007

Saving Lives

According to U.S. census data, over 40,000 people died in traffic accidents in 2003. All of those people would likely be alive today if my car safety ideas were mandated by the government. I propose that automobile manufacturers be required to limit the maximum speed of vehicles to 15 miles per hour. There is little doubt that traffic fatalities would be reduced to nearly zero. 40,000 lives could be saved annually. Is there anyone out there who disagrees with my life saving proposal? If so, please explain what it is you like about gruesome traffic fatalities.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gee, a heart attack comes readily to mind. If my mother had opted to drive my father to the hospital when he had his, at 15mph I'm pretty sure that he'd be dead.

Denis Navratil said...

Perhaps, but what about the 40,000 people who would be alive today? No doubt some of them are little children. Why do you want little children to die needlessly when a simple regulation could save their precious lives?

Anonymous said...

Denis,
You have this all wrong, Kathy is right, there needs to be exceptions. There needs to be so many exceptions that middle income, average everyday folks are the only people who actually have to follow this safety regulation. We need to keep it in place until further study reveils that it only lowered the death toll to 39,999, but Democrates and so-called conservatives fight to keep it in place because, "if it only saves one live it is worth it."

Anonymous said...

I heard George Will make this same point several years ago (though he stated it without sticking tongue firmly in cheek).

Anonymous said...

OK, interesting points here...Denis, do you care to fill me in here? There's apparently some history that I'm missing out on. What's the story? Please elaborate.

Denis Navratil said...

Thanks Kathy for seeking clarity. I will attempt to answer your question in a separate post.