Assumptions dominate the road: drivers trust their vehicles, certain all components will be forever reliable. They believe that engines can’t fail and machinery lasts. They swear that the latest — and supposedly most innovative — features will protect them from harm. The miles are then considered safe.

This breeds lazy driving, which leads to over 6,000,000 accidents each year. Almost 30 percent of the entire United States population is estimated to have been involved in a collision (at least once). The causes of such collisions are many — distracted driving, road rage, alcohol and more. Often, however, the most obvious reason is a feeling of security.

Modern technology (such as navigational systems, automatic seat-belts and emergency contact programs) creates a sense of certainty. Drivers think themselves immune to the common problems. This sparks poor decisions, however, and allows over 20 percent of individuals to ignore the basic rules of the road. They choose risky behaviors — illegal turns, red light rushes, focusing on cell phone conversations — because they believe they are safe. And this causes complications, many of which must then be solved with the aid of a Chicago accident attorney.

The simplest, and best, way to reduce collisions is to demand diligence. Training drivers to use safety features (instead of simply relying on them) is vital. Encouraging courses beyond the ones offered at the Department of Motor Vehicles provides necessary knowledge; and creating stricter punishments for those who make careless mistakes is essential. The laws must reflect the technology.