Letter: Driving habits around valley are plain scary

Sunday, July 30, 2006 | 8:16 a.m.

People drive recklessly every day on our streets and freeways. It is not uncommon to see an overturned vehicle on a main thoroughfare or a car facing the wrong way on a center median. The number of accidents won't decrease unless this carelessness is curbed.

Irresponsible drivers endanger innocent people's lives when they make poor decisions while operating a motor vehicle. Using cell phones, exceeding the speed limit and following too close to the car in front can all cause accidents. Not to mention those drivers who don't slow down at intersections, but instead gun their engines to get through the stoplight.

Or the people who choose to drag race. More often than not, someone gets hurt or killed during these races. Why? For an adrenaline rush or to see who has the fastest car? When someone's life is forever altered or cut short by a reckless driver, it should make everyone pause.

People from all backgrounds and age groups drive carelessly. Not only young and inexperienced kids, but adults in SUVs talking on their cell phones are also guilty, as is the driver in his flashy sports car who runs a red light at a busy intersection.

Haven't people had enough? Aren't you sick of hearing on the news about another illegal drag race gone bad? People need to understand driving is a privilege and comes with responsibility. Vehicles are not toys. They are machines capable of maiming and killing when operated by irresponsible drivers.

Maybe our local taxes need to be increased so the city can afford to install cameras at busy intersections to nab red-light runners. Maybe the driver's test should be repeated on a regular basis, or continuing driver education courses need to be taken. Most people would grumble and scoff at these ideas, thinking them a waste of time and money. So why don't we all just slow down, abide by traffic laws, make good choices and drive carefully?

Melissa Mead-Shoop, Henderson