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Why does it seem that whenever a pedestrian or cyclist is killed by a driver who wasn't paying attention, the driver ends up with a minor traffic ticket with no jail time?
A driver can run a red light, hit a pedestrian or cyclist and seriously injure or kill that person, and the driver ends up with some BS traffic infraction like "failure to follow signals" or "failure to yield to a pedestrian".
Meanwhile, if I'm cleaning my gun and accidentally fire a round into my window and it hits and kills my next door neighbor, I'm going to jail that day for manslaughter.
It seems like in the US, society has basically accepted the fact that motor vehicle deaths are a normal thing and shouldn't be taken seriously. Even drunk drivers who kill someone are given far less prison time than someone who accidentally fires a gun and kills someone.
Why does it seem that whenever a pedestrian or cyclist is killed by a driver who wasn't paying attention, the driver ends up with a minor traffic ticket with no jail time?
A driver can run a red light, hit a pedestrian or cyclist and seriously injure or kill that person, and the driver ends up with some BS traffic infraction like "failure to follow signals" or "failure to yield to a pedestrian".
Meanwhile, if I'm cleaning my gun and accidentally fire a round into my window and it hits and kills my next door neighbor, I'm going to jail that day for manslaughter.
It seems like in the US, society has basically accepted the fact that motor vehicle deaths are a normal thing and shouldn't be taken seriously. Even drunk drivers who kill someone are given far less prison time than someone who accidentally fires a gun and kills someone.
You should try riding a motorcycle. I've lost friends to ignorant morons that had no business operating a motor vehicle and should have spent the rest of their lives in prison. Utter disregard for human life. Yet most commonly the penalty is a ticket for inattentive driving, not murder.
If we put all the at fault drivers who have accidents resulting in a death in prison we would have absolutely no space for real criminals. What purpose does it serve to imprison those involved in at fault traffic accidents? Are these people a real danger to society? Anyone who drives an automobile could have an accident. Do those who support locking up drivers who have accidents prepared to go to prison if they make a mistake? Are you ready to see your wife or husband off to prison? Your child or grandchild? Your elderly mother? Not quite as easy to condemn people for this when you look at it like that is it?
Most people involved in fatal car accidents are normal people who made a driving error. It is the nature of our very busy road system. What on earth does it prove to lock these people up. An 80 year old who runs a red light and hits someone does not belong in a prison cell. Neither does a 30 year old soccer mom who was not paying as much attention to the road as she should have been.
Having said all that I have a much different opinion of the drivers are drunk, high or engaging in obvious reckless behavior. In those cases the book should be thrown. We should have no tolerance for drunk or high driving.
What I find really curious about this in general...when motorized vehicles were first invented, LOTS of people didnt think they were safe enough, many wanted the horse and buggy to remain the dominant mode of transportation...and it looks like their worries turned out to be correct!!
Here is the strange aspect though...even though 'motorized vehicles' have killed 100s of 1000s and ruined even more lives, as a result of accidents, malfunctions, etc...but the switch to motorized vehicles is STILL considered to be a positive change overall!!! How can that be explained in anyway? (the implication being, that human lives are NOT the safety priority...convenience and commerce is truly the priority)...
And then, there are plenty of folks out there now, worrying about the switch to electric cars, or self driving cars? (how can they be worried about safety), when they drive motorized vehicles, that have resulted in 100s of 1000s of deaths? LOL I guess they do not see it like this?
This, is exactly the overview of the legal system and typical driver attitudes in the U.S (uniquely so in the world) in regards to overtly aggressive and dangerous drivers who kill other road users with wanton abandonment in regards to sharing the road, following basic safety rules and other’s well being.
There are more excuse tied to cars then there are to guns.
For one.....................a gun can't run a red light!
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