By: Madelynn Loring, Staff Writer

In its most recent data, the CDC reported that the third leading cause of death in the United States are accidents, primarily those involving motor vehicles. As distressing a figure as this is, it does not even take into consideration the life altering injuries, disruptions of families, and financial ruin that can result from car accidents. Even though our situation with motor vehicle accidents has improved as time has progressed, they still cause immense grief and damage to our society and community as a whole and our current efforts are no longer doing enough. Although programs for increased driver education and campaigns against drunk and distracted driving have had an undoubtedly positive effect, if we want to create new strides in preventing and lessening the impacts of car accidents and injuries, we need to take new measures to prevent destruction on the road. While this problem is never going to have a single, simple solution, regional governments and communities can take action right now by improving public transportation systems so that people do not have to drive in the first place.