Cars Are a Bit Like Guns
- Darren Phillips
- Oct 9, 2017
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 13
lethality
[ lee-thal-i-tee ]
the capacity to cause great harm, destruction, or death
Like guns, the automobile is another human invention that is incredibly dangerous and potentially lethal, which is why we require training, testing, licensure and insurance to operate them ... and we certainly don't give our car keys to young children or allow them to drive. Plus, all cars must be registered. Last time I checked, the government was not coming after our vehicles. Interestingly, auto fatalities per mile driven have dropped 90% in the U.S. since the 1950's due in large part to federally mandated auto safety regulations.
Can you imagine if cars had been around when the Constitution was written? Imagine driving was considered a right instead of a privilege. Imagine there's a constitutional amendment protecting our "right to own and drive cars." We'd be having the same ridiculous argument in which the car nuts insist that automobiles and automobile fatalities are in no way connected (cars don't kill people, people kill people), and that any attempt by lawmakers to mandate auto safety clearly puts us on a slippery slope toward tyranny.
As an aside, if any U.S. president with dictatorial aspirations ever wins the full and unconditional support of our military forces, 12-gauge shotguns and AR-15's will be no match for tanks and smart bombs. Perhaps the solution is to legalize full autos, bazookas, grenades and plastic explosives. (What could possibly go wrong?) After all, according to the gun nuts, placing more fire power in the hands of more citizens magically makes our nation safer! ☕︎
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author's employer(s) or any other organization, group or individual.
Note: Illustration added in 2025.
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