There are a lot of bad drivers out there. Whether it was a wobbly semi-truck that kicked up a cloud of dust, or reckless driver who appeared to be auditioning for a role in one of the many Fast and Furious movies, you've probably experienced a time where you felt unsafe because of another driver. Maybe you looked around, hoping to see a traffic officer that could get them off the road, only to find that there were none to be found. So you slow down, give them space, and hope for the best. However, many drivers have recently decided to take matters into their own hands.
In New Zealand, people have started taking keys away from reckless drivers. After a number of traffic accidents involving tourists, some New Zealand natives have started flagging down tourists who are breaking traffic laws, confiscating their keys, and telling them that they can be retrieved from the local authorities. New Zealand police have asked people to stop doing this.
While taking the keys away from someone might seem like an effective way to make roads safer, it’s pretty extreme. Other drivers are taking a different approach to play a role in traffic control. There are an increasing number of civilian videos that capture fellow drivers driving like maniacs and getting into accidents. But do these traffic videos actually help make roads safer?
Let’s say you're driving to work when you see someone driving in a reckless fashion. They are swerving across dividing lines, speeding up and slowing down dangerously, and they nearly hit another driver. So you take out your cell phone and record this reckless driving, maybe in hopes of sending the footage to the police or having evidence in the event of an accident.
But what does this footage actually accomplish? You're not making the roads safer while recording that video. One could even make the argument that while you are busy filming that reckless driver, you are making the roads even more unsafe by driving distractedly.
You could instead make a point to remember details about the car, like color, make and model, or even remember the license plate number. This allows you to focus on driving instead of using your cell phone. If you truly think that a driver is being so reckless that he or she will inevitably end up harming someone in an accident, it’s better to call the police than to get a video of the accident.
Categories:
Social
