Let's Stop Calling Them Accidents

Some years ago the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA) came to the conclusion that traffic crashes were just that, crashes not accidents. So they changed the name of their Fatal Accident Reporting System to Fatality Analysis Reporting System. It's too bad the media hasn't caught on and still doesn't get it. Accidents are unavoidable. Crashes are avoidable. Traffic collisions are avoidable and therefore should not be called "accidents."

An ACCIDENT is an Avoidable Crash Caused by Ignorance, Drunkenness, Errors, Negligence and/or Thoughtlessness. Allow me to elaborate.

Avoidable- There are many ways motorists can avoid crashing. Crashing is NOT a part of driving. It doesn't have to happen. But in order to avoid crashing, the driver needs to be a safety conscious individual who cares about operating a motor vehicle in such a manner so that no one is endangered.

Crash- A crash is two vehicles trying to occupy the same spot at the same time. That is impossible. That is why we have right-of-way laws. Such laws try to keep cars off the same spot at the same time. The problem is that most motorists don't truly understand right-of-way laws. The law does not give anyone the right-of-way. It merely tells us who yields the right-of-way. For example a driver turning left yields to the driver going straight. That is not the same thing as saying the driver going straight has the right-of-way. The driver going straight will only have the right-of-way if the driver turning left yields it. And all too often, they do not.

Caused- Yes, crashes are caused by the way people drive. They don't just happen! They are caused by the things motorists do and don't do. For instance; SPEEDING can cause a crash. The classic defense after a crash is "I couldn't stop!" Well, who made the vehicle go so fast that it couldn't be stopped?

Ignorance- This is not meant in a pejorative manner. It simply refers to the fact that many motorists don't know or don't understand the rules of the road. Ask yourself, what does a steady yellow light mean? What does a yellow line mean? These are basics that too many motorists just don't know, which is why I refer to them as "movers" not "drivers." Anyone can "move" a car, but it takes skill, knowledge and the right attitude to "drive" a car.

Drunkenness- The obvious connotation here would be driving under the influence of alcohol. But the law actually applies to both legal and illegal drugs. While driving under the influence of alcohol is all too common there is something more common. Driving under the influence of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Read the labels of such things as Dristan and you'll learn that it is not recommended to drive while taking this medication. Does anybody heed such advice. Hardly.

Errors- This refers to the physical errors that driver make either knowingly or unknowingly. Another classic defense for crashing is, "I didn't see him. I don't know where he came from. He came out of nowhere!" Wrong! He didn't come out of nowhere. He came out of somewhere, somewhere you weren't looking. Too many drivers, after many years of driving, come to the ridiculous belief that a car can "know where to go by itself." So, they drive distracted. Many "sight-see" as they drive and then collide with cars or pedestrians they "didn't see."

Negligence- This refers to the mental errors that drivers make. Inattention caused by distractions is the biggest culprit. Driving is a full time job. It demands constant decision making. There is no time to be carrying on a phone conversation or texting a friend. Even checking a GPS can lead to trouble.

Thoughtlessness- This refers to the attitude of drivers. After a crash, some motorists exhibit remorse and even shed a few tears. Where was that concern before the fact? All too often drivers take the stance that the crash is not their fault. What a myth. If the motorist was daydreaming, or driving distracted, or driving aggressively due to frustration or anger, then the resultant crash was most definitely their fault.

People, drive safely, drive defensively and the life you save may even be your own.