Cars kill forty thousand people every year in the USA. Guns are used to kill others on average twenty thousand times a year! Another twenty six thousand gun related deaths are suicide. Not counting suicides cars claim twice as many lives as guns. Here is the strange thing: if a person is reckless with a gun the police will intervene pretty quickly, but when people use their cars and trucks to intimidate, tailgate, speed and do other reckless things daily, they get away with it. When I try to be a good citizen and stick to the speed limit people become enraged! This to me is a huge problem, and probably why driving is so dangerous. I experienced this craziness again this morning, and this poem came to mind.

Driving the speed limit is fun,
and it appears enjoyable to everyone!
Many drivers follow me real close
probably to give me bravos.

Some eventually pass and wave,
even those that are so brave 
to drive with hands that miss most fingers,
always showing me that one still lingers.

Because of this I try my best 
to never ever disappoint the rest,
and set my cruise control exactly right
like every other law-abiding driver might.

Doing this makes it possible 
to make eye contact and smile,
people really love that I’m responsible,
and some even follow me for many a mile!

Driving is such a pleasure,
especially when done at leisure.
Slow down and enjoy the drive,
it improves everyone’s chance to survive!