There are many ways to REDUCE the number and severity of accidents. It starts with increasing the cost of causing one — fines, jail time, loss of license — the

There are many ways to REDUCE the number and severity of accidents. It starts with increasing the cost of causing one — fines, jail time, loss of license — there are many ways to discourage stupid driving, and the US absolutely does not take this option seriously enough. Anyone who rides a bike or motorcycle knows that drivers freely overlook us. And we know why. When a fool driver kills one of us, they pay absolutely no price for it. Jail time? Never. Fines? Rarely, if ever. Why then should a texting driver refrain from LOLing to their heart's delight behind the wheel, at night, in fog? There's no reason not to. We could also improve road safety greatly if driver training and testing were improved. Every EU member nation requires more rigorous driver training and exams than the US. And we should continue that training with mandatory refresher courses to renew and develop deeper skills as we age. To reward those who put more effort into sharpening their driving skills, insurance companies could offer discounts for those who choose to take even more instruction or score higher on exams. There’s surely a virtuous cycle in here somewhere, but only if Americans care enough to so something about driving smarter. So far, we clearly haven't.