Major Causes of Accidents - Essay Example

Major Causes of Accidents It is undeniable that road accidents have been a common phenomenon in cities as there aremany people travelling through the means of road transport. Over the years, road accidents have been the major cause of deaths reported on a daily basis often attributed by drivers’ carelessness, negligence and ignorance of traffic rules. As road accidents continue to increase, most governments across the globe have established the need to implement and regulate traffic rules with an aim to eradicate the high number of accidents. Among these traffic rules is a speed limit on our roads, streets, and highways. Despite its effectiveness use for the past decades, the main question that lingers in many people is whether an open speed limit on roads, highways, and streets leads to major accidents and death? In response to this, the aim of this paper is to discuss how open speed limit on our roads, streets, and highways is the major cause of accidents and death. In discussing, this essay will provide a brief historical background of speed limits and thereafter show how it has been the major cause of accidents and deaths. As argued by Arrowsmith (28), most countries use road speed limits to regulate or adjust the speed of road vehicles. In his research, Arrowsmith affirms that speed limits are usually set by the provincial governments or Legislative Bodies of Nations. Arrowsmith’s research documents that, the United Kingdom was the first country to implement the first speed limit legislation. In 1865, UK introduced the act of speed limit of 16 km/h (10 mph), which was thereafter reduced to 6 km/h (4 mph) in a rural setting, and 3 km/h (2 mph) in urban settings (Arrowsmith 28). Walter Arnold was the first individual to be fined for speeding, which by that time was illegal. Since then, most countries have adopted speed limit regulations that oblige drivers drive at an average speed condition. It is worth to note that, the reasonable speed may at times differ depending on various conditions such as heavy rain, snow, ice, fog, sharp corners, or gravel. Most countries have legally adopted a specific speed limit that applies to all roads unless there are unfavourable weather conditions such as heavy rains. Although the presence of speed limits may sometimes eradicate carelessness, the main question is whether open speed limit significantly reduces accidents. First, open speed limits on our roads, highways, and streets leads to major accidents and deaths since not every driver drives fast or low every time. For instance, there are various factors that trigger a driver to drive recklessly. The primary factor for reckless driving is alcoholism, which influences the driver to be careless and neglect traffic rules. In most countries such as the United States, reckless driving is a more severe offense than improper driving. The crime is punishable by imprisonment, driver’s license revocation or suspension, and fines among others. With this in mind, it stands out that if it was an open speed limit, drivers will drive at the speed they want, thus the rate of accidents will increase because there is no speed that drivers have limit on. Open speed limit creates a strong platform for drivers to have their own reasons for driving the way they want. Secondly, open speed limits on our roads, highways, and streets leads to major accidents and deaths because wheels cannot stay for a high speed when in long destination and long schedules. Typically, it gets hot and at times can blow up and cause a major accident or injury to the driver and others. In this regard, having speed limit regulation would be effective to eradicate accidents. However, having open speed limits encourages many to drive carelessly, which in turn affects the wheel to blow up. Thirdly, open speed limit is the major cause of major accidents and deaths since a bad injury can affect the driver after an accident or leads to death. Open speed limit encourages negligence and carelessness for drivers to observe traffic rules, which as a result, increases mortality rate. As a consequence, this increases poverty rate especially if the driver was a bread winner. It is worth to note that, poverty and crime go hand in hand. In other words, poverty attracts crime in the sense that, a child from a poor background is more likely to engage in drug abuse and prostitution because of frustrations and a strong crave for money. To eliminate poverty and such crimes, speed limit regulation is vital as it ensures that a driver obey traffic rules that aims at saving lives, creating a favourable working environment for drivers, and improving the well-being of individuals (Arrowsmith 28). Despite having facts that support how open speed limits increases accidents; many people have emerged to address their opposing viewpoints. For instance, Arrowsmith (28) argues that speed limits vary according on road conditions, area, and weather conditions. From this research, the fact of the matter is that if the traffic is visible or thick then, it means that speed limit would have to change. From Arrowsmith’s research, it is obvious that a government must be very realistic when setting speed limit. In other words, they should comprehend that a driver is a skilled person who knows how to drive effectively under various conditions. When a government informs the society that fast speeds is harmful and increases accident rate, people will not fully understand that the government is doing it for the society’s good. Most people will feel as if the government is treating them like “children”. With this in mind, many people believe that a common man would feel good if given a chance to choose a preferable speed limit. This is because people misunderstand the benefits offered by adjusting the speed limit. Most people believe that speed kills, thus many disapprove driving at a high speed limit. Typically, many people believe that driving at a low speed rate decreases accident rates. From the ongoing discussion, some opponents believe that open speed limits on our streets, highways, and roads are not the major causes of accidents. If it was an open speed limit, Arrowsmith (28) believes that drivers would understand why they should not drive carelessly, so the rate of accidents would decrease. Giving drivers a free will to choose speed limits is important as it creates a platform for an individual to understand traffic rules. Many people would fully understand why most governments implement and regulate traffic rules. In other words, the government would not struggle educating drivers about the need to observe traffic rules. Despite that there are many controversial issues regarding the subject open speed limits, its disadvantages cannot be underestimated. First, open speed limits increase accident rates, which in turn, lessen the country’s economy. Secondly, an open speed limit is so severe that it encourages most drivers to drive carelessly. With these facts in mind, I strongly agree that open speed limits is not the best choice for a country as it increases accident cases. Therefore, it is important for the government to implement and regulate speed limits that suit a given area and weather conditions. In summary, this paper has discussed the major cause of accidents as careless driving often caused by reckless driving. In response to deter accidents, most governments have established the need to implement and regulate speed limit rules. With this, this paper has outlined the effect of open speed limits to a society. First, open speed limits on roads, streets, and highways leads to major accidents since it motivates drivers to drive at the speed they want. Secondly, driving at a high speed causes the wheels to blow up, which is the major cause of injury and accidents to the driver and other people. With these facts in mind, governments should establish the need to implement and regulate speed limit. By so doing, the government would eradicate high rates of accidents occurring on a daily basis. In my opinion, implementing traffic rules is important as it save lives and improves a country’s economy. With this in mind, I would recommend many governments to implement and regulate traffic rules as they would save lives and eradicate poverty. Most countries use road speed limits to adjust the speed for road vehicles. The speed limit is usually set by the provincial government to safeguard roads. Therefore, this paper is significant as it educates many about observing traffic rules particularly regulating and implementing speed limits. Works Cited Arrowsmith, Caroline. "The Aftermath of Road Accidents: Psychological, Social and Legal Consequences of an Everyday Trauma [book Review]." Grief Matters: the Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement. 13.1 (2010): 28. Read More