Automobiles In American Society

In American society, cars play a very important role in the daily lives of Americans. According to a study completed in 2014 by the “AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety”, the average American drives for 29.2 miles per day and 10,658 miles per year (“American Driving”). Cars have become an irreplaceable part of society, and have provided many benefits, but as they have been improved upon, they have also done a lot of damage, leading some to wonder if the changes to automobiles have been positive or negative.
Automobiles, while controversial, provide a great benefit to our society, and changes are being made to make them safer for the environment. Ted Balaker and Sam Staley, two distinguished writers, believe that contrary to popular belief, “air quality has been improving for a long time” and due to “stringent regulations and better technology” we have been able to drive more and keep the air clean (Balaker and Staley 32). On top of that, Dan McCosh, an experienced automotive worker, writes that some “ultraclean …show more content…
Paul Sharke, an automobile author, believes that one way to help prevent accidents on the road is through “technology… for making driving accident-free”, in other words, self-driving cars (Sharke). Self-driving cars, while not practical right now, are a definite possibility for the future, and would help save countless lives. Paul Stenquist, a journalist and marketing professional, believes that self driving cars, while often viewed as a potential “stress-reducing convenience”, could also be used as “a life-changing breakthrough for many people with disabilities”, giving them more freedom (Stenquist). People with disabilities are often confined and have little freedom to do what they want, but self-driving cars could help them move around more easily. Self-driving cars would give everyone, not just the disabled, a way to be safer while on the