People often tell stories about the dangerous driving one can encounter in third world countries. But the reality is that here in the U.S. we don't behave much better; the main difference is that we drive newer, shinier vehicles.
In truth, our country's collective driving ability is a disgrace, and a dangerous one at that. Our poor driving skills are a national embarrassment made worse by the fact that so much could be done to mitigate the problem. Above all what we need is a driving test worthy of the name, and driver training to go with it. What we have today in the way of a test is a farce, a process so simple that a 9-year old could probably pass, if he or she could reach the controls.
By contrast, the rest of the first world makes people who want to acquire a driving license go through an elaborate and demanding procedure. In many European countries, for example, the training and testing process is lengthy, expensive and involves comprehensive written and driving exams. Over there, a driving license is regarded as a privilege, not a right, which is how it should be.
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